Janet Arlene Lawrence, age 86, died peacefully in her sleep on Wednesday evening, August 7, 2019 at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Nashua, NH. Born October 19, 1932 in Manchester, NH, she was predeceased by her parents, Joseph and Arlene Primeau, brother Richard Primeau, and husband William Lawrence. She is survived by her four children, Gail Lawrence of Charlotte, NC, Craig Lawrence of Beverly, MA, Elizabeth Lawrence of Wilmington, NC and Daniel Lawrence of Manchester-by-the-Sea, MA.
Janet received a degree from New England Bible Institute in Framingham, MA, and furthered her studies at Rivier College in Nashua, and later at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington where she concentrated on writing and composing short stories. Janet held numerous jobs: she worked at the Hollis Area High School, first as an assistant librarian and then as an administrative assistant in the guidance department. She also worked as an assistant librarian at the children’s library at the Nashua Public Library, and taught pre-school at a church in Merrimack NH.
Janet grew up in Manchester, New Hampshire, where she met her husband, William, but lived most of her life in nearby Hollis, New Hampshire until moving to North Carolina a few years ago to be closer to her daughters. Janet continued to return to Hollis to spend her summers and to the place where she ultimately chose to enjoy her last days.
Janet was very active in the Hollis community and in various Christian evangelical churches in Nashua and Amherst, NH as well as in Wilmington, NC.
Along with utilizing her many skills and countless demonstrations of generosity, Janet loved being a “Grammy” to her beloved grandchildren Gavin, Charlotte and Tucker Lawrence. She also leaves behind countless friendships that found her spanning the globe to deepen those relationships - from all the New England States (especially Maine and New Hampshire) to North Carolina and even Europe. Many of her greatest loves included god, family, travel, the “Lawrence Barn,” and friendships. Janet struck up countless friendships that she took pleasure in nurturing - not only within her churches, but also at the YMCA where she swam and the Senior Center where she did “chair yoga”. Janet’s kind spirit fostered the discovery of new friendships everywhere she traveled—at the eye doctor’s office, the lobster hut, the town dump - and everywhere in between.
SERVICES: Calling hours will be held at Davis Funeral Home, One Lock Street in Nashua, on Sunday, August 11, 2019 from 2 to 4 pm. Funeral Service will be on Monday, August 12, 2019, 11am, at the Lawrence Barn, 28 Depot Road in Hollis. Family and friends are respectfully invited to attend. Interment will be at East Cemetery in Hollis. In lieu of flowers please send donations to either the “Lawrence Barn” at Hollis Town Hall, 7 Monument Square, Hollis, New Hampshire 03049, or to The Gideons International, PO Box 140800, Nashville, TN.