Emile Lawrence

Emile Charles Lawrence, born April 19, 1948, passed away to be with his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ on Saturday, November 7, 2020. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 P.M. Tuesday, November 10, 2020 at the Turnersville Community Church. Burial will follow at Turnersville Cemetery. Visitation will be held at 1:00 P.M., Tuesday, November 10, 2020 at the church.

Emile led a life full of love, life and adventure that was shared with his wife, Leah, of 52 years. It is difficult to paraphrase a life as rich as Emile's in a few paragraphs. Raised in a family of 10 brothers and sisters and marrying into a family of another 15 more. He was forever surrounded by family and friends. Emile left for college in 1967 and there met the love-of-his-life, Leah. They were married in the Summer of 1968 and the following two summers had their first 2 children Elizabeth and then Christopher.

He spent his early years as an instrumentation electrician, for Johnson Controls, in the Houston area and then made his way into the oil and gas industry allowing him to travel the world. He had opportunities to work in Libya, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Japan and India. It was during one of his breaks that he and Leah had their third child and second son Sam. Soon after, Emile continued his work in Greece, able to take the family over to live and subsequently moved back to Texas to work and live.

Back home he eventually started an electrical subcontracting company. Afterward, Emile was back in the global workforce living and working in Saudi Arabia for many years with Leah and Sam. Returning to the States, he and Leah settled in the Turnersville, Texas area where Emile worked in the telecom industry. Years passed and the overseas work kicked off again! This time, immediately following the Army into Baghdad with a private contractor working with the US Department of Defense. Leah was able to join the DoD as well, a year later, and also relocated to be with Emile in the “Green Zone”.

After having all the fun he could handle working with the bureaucrats in Iraq, he and Leah moved back to Turnersville and he began his next career with the USDA where he would eventually retire. It was near the end of his time with the USDA that he was diagnosed with prostate cancer. Emile and Leah immediately started on a path to battle the cancer but in the end, it had been detected too late and had spread to other organs. Emile died at home with his family, quietly in the night.

Leah and Emile had three children in their life together and regardless of his professional affiliation, location or workload - one desire remained constant through thick and thin times, his dedication to provide and take care of his family. The vast array of experience through his life built his knowledge and interest to extremes, and one could never sit down with him and not come away knowing more themselves. He will always be remembered with his infectious grin and can-fix-anything mentality and, ultimately, his deep, deep love for his family. That love making, full circle, back to him.

Emile was preceded in death by his mother Minerva Marie Schumann Lawrence, father Houston Rollen Lawrence; and brother Lee Wayne Lawrence. He is survived by his wife, Leah, his daughter, Mary Elizabeth, his two sons, Emile Charles Christopher and wife, Ploy, Sam Houston and wife, Amber; six sisters, Rev. Mindy Lawrence Curtis and husband, Carl, Shirley Gonzales, Teresa Clay; Hulda Coskey and husband, Bill, Christine Moreland and husband, Craig, Adele Schull; and three brothers, Houston R. Lawrence, Jr, and wife, DeNize, Rodney Lawrence and wife, Barbara “Sam”, and Michael Lawrence; 11 grandchildren; and 8 great-grandchildren. Emile is survived by many nieces, nephews, relatives and many friends.  Those serving as pallbearers are: Elizabeth Lawrence, Sam Lawrence, Chris Lawrence, Destinie Kristoffersen, Lucas Lawrence, and Brianna Lawrence.

In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to the Turnersville Community Church Restoration Fund at (attention Wynema Dahl) 1734 FM 708, Clifton, TX 76634.