Helen Kay Lawing

Born on July 12, 1940, Helen “Kay” was a woman whose kindness and patient spirit left a lasting imprint on everyone fortunate enough to know her.

Kay attended West Mecklenburg High School and later continued her education at UNC Chapel Hill earning both a Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree, carrying forward a lifelong love of learning that could be felt in her thoughtful presence and her enduring enjoyment of reading.

A devoted wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, Kay brought gentleness and grace to the center of her family’s life. She was known for the quiet strength of her care—offering encouragement, listening with attention, and giving love freely and consistently. She loved traveling and creating memories with those she loved, but nothing brought her greater joy than time spent with her family.

Kay’s faith and community were also important to her, and she was involved with Mandarin Presbyterian Church in Jacksonville, Florida. In every setting, she was cherished for the warmth she shared, touching hearts with joy and patience and showing love to everyone she knew.

Kay often reflected on a saying from her high school years that captured her optimistic outlook and the way she lived her life:

“The best way to cheer yourself is to try to cheer someone else.”

Kay is survived by her husband, Gerald Lawing; her sister Carol Combs Thaxton; her children Brandt Lawing (Rebecca), Kimberly Kay Thorne (Jeff), Sean Lawing (Beth), Tracy Lawing Rule (Tyson), Jodi Beth McIntosh (Jimmy), and Valerie Lawing Scheid (Dan); her grandchildren Joshua, Jessica, Jacob, Eann, Kelsey, Breca, Magnus, Noah, Sarah, Andrew, Elliott, Aaran, Skylar, Rachel, Thor, Freyja, Scarlett, and Lillian; and her great-grandchildren Aurora, Claire, Benjamin, and Carmela Kay.

She is preceded in death by her father, Carl Eugene Combs; her mother, Mary Helen Benfield; and her sister, Juanita Combs Ellis.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in their loved one’s memory to the American Lung Association or the COPD Foundation.