Deaconess Mildred I. Lawrence

Deaconess Mildred Inez Lawrence was the sixth of eight children to the late Martha and John McCarter. She was born on August 11, 1927 in Gastonia NC and was the last survivor of her seven siblings. Mildred entered eternal peace on Sunday, August 25, 2019, after enduring a long illness.

On April 17, 1949, Mildred married the late Solomon Cornelius Lawrence and through their union had Pamela Annette Smith (deceased), Michael Cornelius Lawrence (Jacqueline), Terry Roseman Lawrence and Joyce Lanelle Williams (Jason). She leaves three children, nine grandchildren, twenty-one great children, two sister in-laws, Ms. Ivey Wright and Ms. Leola Lawrence and a host of nieces, nephews, relatives and friends.

Millie as she was often called, moved from Gastonia to Washington D.C. in the late 1940’s to begin her new life by attending the Anna Burdick Vocational/Career High School, where she earned a nursing certificate in preparation for her nursing career as a License Practical Nurse (LPN) at Prince George’s, Cheverly Hospital, and then Howard University Hospital (formerly Freedmen’s), until her retirement in 1981.

Mildred enjoyed spending time with her family, looking forward to cooking Sunday dinners, and cookouts. She contributed to potlucks with the family and restaurant dining. She loved traveling, especially her trip to Paris that she often talked about, spending weekends being pampered by family members and her Thursday girls’ night out as they dinned together and watched church service DVD’s or a good movie. She also enjoyed her salon visits with her hairstylist.

Mildred’s inspiring religious beliefs could be measured by her faithfulness as a member of Vermont Avenue Baptist Church where she had joined over 70 years ago. She served as a devoted member on various church ministries that included the Mission Ministry, Church Choir, Chancel Choir, Historian of Deaconess Board, Baptist Training Union, North Carolina Club, Youth People’s Choir, Agape Sunday School, Christian Reading Ministry, August Fellowship, Girl Scout and Cub Scout Leader, and the Lott Carey Foreign Ministry. She took pleasure in volunteering for the numerous church events like Women’s Day prayer breakfasts, church choir concerts, bake sales, donation drives and making public church announcements.

After leaving the segregated south, Mildred’s driving spirit nurtured a civic awareness that motivated her to serve an active role in the Woodridge community that expanded to developing the Tassl Block Club named by the last names of those who also served. The Block club celebrated its first community block party where kids celebrated with vending stands, face painting and moon bounce before it was popular, the neighbors created vending stations in their yards where they grilled, and provided free food and games for the community. She also worked with the ANC Ward 5 Commission under Williams Spaulding as Councilmember and Sterling Tucker of the local D.C. government. As a community Block Leader, she worked tirelessly addressing various community issues and concerns that oftentimes required local government interaction. Because of Mildred’s efforts, the Woodridge community continues to benefit from her work even to this day.