1927
Mary
2016
Mary Lawrence
November 30, 1927 — November 5, 2016
Mary Catherine Triplett Lawrence, age 88, a resident of Forest, MS, died peacefully Saturday, November 5, 2016, bringing to an end a decade of slow decline.
Funeral services will be conducted at 7:00 pm, Thursday, November 10, 2016, at Ott & Lee Funeral Home in Forest, MS, following visitation from 5 to 7 pm. Rev. James Young will officiate at the funeral. A brief graveside service and burial will take place at 2:00 pm on Friday, November 11, 2016, at the Mt. Pisgah Baptist Church cemetery in Choctaw County near Eupora, MS,. Dr. Garry Breland will officiate at the graveside.
Mrs. Lawrence was born in Frisco, TX, on November 30, 1927, to Kirk William Triplett, Sr., and Sarah Elizabeth “Bessie” Bradley Triplett. She grew up on a dairy farm at Flora, MS. She was married to Rev. James Leroy Lawrence on August 3, 1947.
She graduated from Flora High School, and she earned an A.A. from Clarke Memorial College, a B.A. from Mississippi College, and an M.Ed. from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. She completed additional studies at Mississippi State University and University of Southern Mississippi.
She served faithfully as a pastor’s wife by her husband’s side at the following Baptist churches in Mississippi: Meyersville BC, Topeka BC, Glen Allen BC, Thomastown BC, Weir BC, Broadmoor BC (Gulfport), Riverside BC (Pineville), and Sulphur Springs BC (Sebastopol). She was a leader in the Woman’s Missionary Union and was active in Baptist Associational work. She was in later years a member of Georgetown Baptist Church where she taught Sunday School and of Forest Baptist Church where she sang in the Senior Choir. She was a math teacher and taught at Harrison Central HS, Scott Central HS, West Union HS, and Union Academy.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; a daughter, Rebecca Sue Lawrence; two sisters, Sarah Elizabeth Triplett Hill and Alice Triplett Banes; and two brothers, Kirk William Triplett, Jr., and Richard Charlie Triplett.
She is survived by three daughters: Mary Elizabeth Lawrence Breland (Garry) of Hattiesburg; Rachel Ann Lawrence Barr of Fort Davis, TX; and Jo Gwendolyn Lawrence Gaddis Gilliam (David) of Forest; one sister, Irene Triplett Brown of Citronelle, AL; and one brother, Kirk White Triplett, Sr., of Covington, LA; sisters-in-law Mildred Triplett, Ouida Triplett, Lillie Jones, and Ruth Davidson. She is also survived by eight grandchildren: Markella Beth Breland Rutherford (Jason) of Ashland, MA; Lindsey Nicole Barr Shehane (David) of Winthrop, ME; Thomas Taylor “Tripp” Gaddis III (Melissa) of Forest; Brannon Neeley Barr of Syracuse, NY; Joel Lawrence Gaddis (Iram) of Brandon; Duncan Kirk Breland (Frances) of Memphis, TN; Dustin Wesley Barr (Jennifer) of Ft. Davis, TX; and Elizabeth Anna Gaddis Shoemaker (Corey) of Forest; great-grandchildren: Jasper, Shiloh, Annabelle, Daniel, Faris, Gus, Jubilee, Larry, Layth, and Lachlan. She is also survived by many beloved nieces and nephews.
She was a loving daughter, sister, wife, mother, grandmother, aunt, and teacher.
Funeral services will be conducted at 7:00 pm, Thursday, November 10, 2016, at Ott & Lee Funeral Home in Forest, MS, following visitation from 5 to 7 pm. Rev. James Young will officiate at the funeral. A brief graveside service and burial will take place at 2:00 pm on Friday, November 11, 2016, at the Mt. Pisgah Baptist Church cemetery in Choctaw County near Eupora, MS,. Dr. Garry Breland will officiate at the graveside.
Mrs. Lawrence was born in Frisco, TX, on November 30, 1927, to Kirk William Triplett, Sr., and Sarah Elizabeth “Bessie” Bradley Triplett. She grew up on a dairy farm at Flora, MS. She was married to Rev. James Leroy Lawrence on August 3, 1947.
She graduated from Flora High School, and she earned an A.A. from Clarke Memorial College, a B.A. from Mississippi College, and an M.Ed. from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. She completed additional studies at Mississippi State University and University of Southern Mississippi.
She served faithfully as a pastor’s wife by her husband’s side at the following Baptist churches in Mississippi: Meyersville BC, Topeka BC, Glen Allen BC, Thomastown BC, Weir BC, Broadmoor BC (Gulfport), Riverside BC (Pineville), and Sulphur Springs BC (Sebastopol). She was a leader in the Woman’s Missionary Union and was active in Baptist Associational work. She was in later years a member of Georgetown Baptist Church where she taught Sunday School and of Forest Baptist Church where she sang in the Senior Choir. She was a math teacher and taught at Harrison Central HS, Scott Central HS, West Union HS, and Union Academy.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; a daughter, Rebecca Sue Lawrence; two sisters, Sarah Elizabeth Triplett Hill and Alice Triplett Banes; and two brothers, Kirk William Triplett, Jr., and Richard Charlie Triplett.
She is survived by three daughters: Mary Elizabeth Lawrence Breland (Garry) of Hattiesburg; Rachel Ann Lawrence Barr of Fort Davis, TX; and Jo Gwendolyn Lawrence Gaddis Gilliam (David) of Forest; one sister, Irene Triplett Brown of Citronelle, AL; and one brother, Kirk White Triplett, Sr., of Covington, LA; sisters-in-law Mildred Triplett, Ouida Triplett, Lillie Jones, and Ruth Davidson. She is also survived by eight grandchildren: Markella Beth Breland Rutherford (Jason) of Ashland, MA; Lindsey Nicole Barr Shehane (David) of Winthrop, ME; Thomas Taylor “Tripp” Gaddis III (Melissa) of Forest; Brannon Neeley Barr of Syracuse, NY; Joel Lawrence Gaddis (Iram) of Brandon; Duncan Kirk Breland (Frances) of Memphis, TN; Dustin Wesley Barr (Jennifer) of Ft. Davis, TX; and Elizabeth Anna Gaddis Shoemaker (Corey) of Forest; great-grandchildren: Jasper, Shiloh, Annabelle, Daniel, Faris, Gus, Jubilee, Larry, Layth, and Lachlan. She is also survived by many beloved nieces and nephews.
She was a loving daughter, sister, wife, mother, grandmother, aunt, and teacher.
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