Jeanne Lawson Burrows

When one thinks of Jeanne Lawson Burrows one thinks "beautiful", "gracious", "lovely", "loving", "loyal", "vibrant" and "funny". She embodied these attributes as a mother and a grandmother and a loving friend to many.

While Jeanne was crowned a beauty queen many times over, those that know her best know that her beauty extended to great depths. She had a beautiful spirit; a beautiful and contagiously positive outlook on life; and a beautiful and genuine love for her family and friends. She was a servant-leader who is remembered by her children, Lee Burrows and Lauren Burrows, as a mother-figure to so many of their friends growing up. She made the Burrows household a welcoming respite for any and all friends. She cherished the moments when she was surrounded by her family, friends and her children's friends.

Jeanne was incredibly gracious and she never hesitated to be the brunt of the joke if it made her family laugh. The love she shared was passed on through her smile and warm touch. If you ever got one of her loving squeezes, you received a touch of Jeanne's love.

Jeanne was rarely down and always managed to find the good in everyone and everything, and she was quick to offer a flattering compliment. She gave everyone the benefit of the doubt and assumed that people are good. She forgave quickly, and she was ferociously loyal to her family and friends.

Jeanne never forgot a good story, and she blessed her children and grandchildren (and probably bored her friends) by telling and re-telling family stories that would have otherwise been forgotten. Her memory was infallible.

Jeanne and Bobby had an unshakable love for one another. They were best friends and were blessed to have shared a wonderful 59 years of marriage together in Raleigh. Their loving friendship created a household environment that welcomed all. Jeanne loved to welcome both her friends and her children's friends into her home in Raleigh and at the coast with wonderful food and good laughs. She was a remarkable cook.

Jeanne was the consummate volunteer at numerous local organizations, foundations, schools and civic organizations, but she preferred serving her friends and family which she did tirelessly.

Jeanne's husband, Robert Lee Burrows (Bobby) passed away in 2016. She is survived by her two children Lauren Burrows of Raleigh, NC and Lee Burrows and his wife Sunny and their three daughters Margaret, Mary Lawson and Adelaide Burrows all of Atlanta, Georgia; her brother and sister-in-law Rutledge Lawson and Caroline Lawson of Greenville, South Carolina; her sister-in-law Bobbie Hartsfield Lawson of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina (who was married to Jeanne's late Brother Perrin Lawson); nephews John Lawson of Chapin, South Carolina, Perrin Lawson of Mount Pleasant, South Carolina; Alex Lawson of Greenville, South Carolina, and Bland Lawson of Columbia, South Carolina; nieces, Jeanne Lawson Williams of Greenville, South Carolina and Mary Eadon Lawson Robinson of Lawrenceville, Georgia; her nephew Rick Funderburke of Roanoke, Virginia and her niece Kim Woolwine of Salem, Virginia.

Jeanne died on Saturday surrounded by her children, grandchildren and friends. Funeral services will be held at Hayes Barton United Methodist Church at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, May 2, 2017. The family will receive friends at the Fellowship Hall in the church following the service.

The family requests donations, in lieu of flowers, be made to The Well Building Fund at Hayes Barton United Methodist Church, 2209 Fairview Road, Raleigh, NC 27608.

Funeral arrangements are being made by Brown-Wynne Funeral Home, Saint Mary’s St., Raleigh.