Rosemary Hannon Lawrence

RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA: ROSEMARY HANNON LAWRENCE, age 83, active and healthy while courageously battling cancer into stability, died quite unexpectedly and peacefully Tuesday, October 29, 2024 at the home she shared with her son James D Ktsanes, surrounded in the love of her family. She attended St. Francis Catholic Church.

Born in Ft Thomas (Dayton), Kentucky, she grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area, the daughter of the late Horace Edward Hannon and Heloise (Walter) Hannon. She was the widow of Donald Lawrence. She was predeceased by her beloved sister Carolyn Jean Maroon of Santa Clara and another sister Anne Shelton of Catheys Valley as well as other beloved cousins, uncles, and dear friends.

She attended West Portal grammar school and graduated from Altos Junior High in San Francisco where she studied ballet, actively participated in Girls Scouts, and studied dance at the Betty Gentry Studio of Dance Arts and Drama where she annually performed at the California Hall. She often shared about walking down the hill with her school friend to the station and taking the street-car to school.

Following Junior High, her family moved from San Francisco to Atherton, a much slower pace back then, where she graduated from Menlo-Atherton High School and later attended Foothill Junior College. While in school some of her favorite retail job memories were in the toy department at the Palo Alto Sport Shop and Toy World where she decorated the displays, especially around Christmas, and later at Saks Fifth Avenue in the Stanford Mall where they discussed her going to their management training before she decided to join United Airlines. She also found much satisfaction working with autistic children at the old Stanford Hospital.

She left Foothill college when she was selected as a United Airlines “Stewardess” then complete her training as one of the last classes that attended training in Cheyenne Wyoming at the Boeing United Airlines Terminal. She was based out of Chicago where she continued flying. She loved traveling and meeting people but once she was married and expecting, the airline policy made her leave the company where she then ultimately returned to the Bay Area.

Faithful, friendly, caring, warm, selfless, intelligent, and interested in listening, she always put others before herself. She demonstrated these blessings to everyone she met and everywhere she worked throughout her life. She had a smile that would light up a room, laughter that was genuine, and a twinkle in her eyes that made people really gravitate toward her.

With little support as a working single mother, she raised her two sons, James and Brian, working as the office manager at the Smyth Chamber of Commerce, a title she earned and fought to establish during the stereotypical period for most small town 70’s and 80’s women. She later moved back to California and worked in Yosemite then as a Ride-Share Coordinator making presentations at the local colleges while also traveling to the Bay Area to care for her ailing mother and father.

She and her husband later moved to St Augustine where she was an Administrative Assistant at an environmental engineering firm while caring for her husband who was waiting for a heart transplant.

She relocated to the Butner area to help when her grandson William was born and later lived in South Carolina before going out to California to stay with her son. When her grandson Benjamin was born, she returned to live in Raleigh and loved spending time exploring with her grandsons while working in retail management where her exceptional skill in holiday wrapping were unmatched and the envy of many.

She made sure her son James came home to her from California when he was ill so that he had a loving and caring place to live where she could care for him heal and back on his feet. When he did recover, the roles reversed and she later lived with James who devotedly cared for his dear mother through her illnesses making sure her last 13 years she was happy, cared for, and as comfortable as can be.

Her last professional employment was as valued assistant office manager with ReMax in Raleigh where she came to really enjoy working with her “work-family” who became lifelong friends after her retirement. Even while working and caring for grandchildren, she managed to find time to take classes becoming a book-binder, learned piano, gemology, and Reiki, in addition to other interests.

Rosemary is survived by her two loving sons James D Ktsanes of Raleigh NC, and Brian Burtram and wife, Julie of Southport, NC; three grand-children Conor, William, and Benjamin; one brother Edward Hannon of Twisp, WA., two nieces, and many dear friends.

Funeral services will be held Saturday, November 9, 2024 at 12:00pm at Mitchell Funeral Home at Raleigh Memorial Park with Deacon Stephen Andrews officiating. Burial service at 1:00pm will follow at Raleigh Memorial Park.

Flowers will be accepted or donations may be made to Duke Raleigh Cancer Patient Support Program (Belk Boutique), Purple Heart Homes, Raleigh Rescue Mission, or American Life League.

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