South Hero - Elinor Helen Lawrence, 87 and Carolyn Emma Lawrence, 55, mother and daughter, died tragically together, Thursday afternoon February 9, 2017, as a result of a house fire.
Elinor was born on May 16, 1929 in Milton, the daughter of John and Susan (Towne) Jackson. She had graduated from Johnson Teachers College and had worked for a short time as an elementary teacher. She was working at the Mary Fletcher Hospital in Burlington, when she met her future husband Ralph Lawrence, who she married on September 17, 1958.
Elinor and Ralph settled in on the family farm in South Hero and began their family. She was very active in teaching Sunday school, the Congregational Church and even in Cub Scouts when the boys were young.
She and Ralph had three children, Ralph "Bill" Lawrence and partner Susan Kenyon of South Hero, Carolyn Lawrence, and Eugene Lawrence and his wife Heather McLeod of Grand Isle.
She is also survived by her grandchildren Holly and Cassy Kenyon, Cassidy and Cody Lawrence, April L'Esperance and Louis Cline and her great grandchildren Levi and Mary Gardiner and Alaric Mallette, by her brother Giles Jackson of SC, her sisters; Sally Senesac and her husband, Jim of Isle LaMotte, Janice Jackson and Connie Thompson of AZ, Doris Streeter of Burlington.
She was predeceased by her husband Ralph in 2013, and her siblings Julian Jackson, Frankie King, Laura Dyke, Mary White and Rogene Butler.
Carolyn was born on December 14, 1961 in Burlington, the daughter of Elinor and Ralph. She loved working at the Champlain Valley Sheltered Workshop and enjoyed participating in Special Olympics. She enjoyed taking photographs and had been employed at KFC on Shelburne Road. She loved watching "Leave it to Beaver", with "Puff Puff" her favorite cat.
She will be dearly missed, along with her Mom by her brothers, uncle and aunts, nieces, nephews, cousins and her good friend Connie Van Dine.
Her family would like to give special thanks to the VNA for the care, Carolyn received throughout the years.
Visiting hours for Elinor and Carolyn will be held on Thursday February 16, 2017 from 5-8 pm in the Minor Funeral Home in Milton.
A Funeral Service will be held on Friday February 17 at 11am in the South Hero Congregational Church, located on South Street in South Hero.
Memorial Contributions in Elinor and Carolyn's memory may be made to the South Hero Fire Department, P.O. Box 112, South Hero, VT 05486 or the VNA 1110 Prim Road, Colchester, VT 05446