The family of Laura Marie Lawson is sad to announce Laura’s passing on June 7, 2021, at the age of 93 years.

Laura Marie Lawson, daughter of Laura Jane Cunningham and John Peterson, was born in Hafford, Saskatchewan March 20, 1928. The eldest of four daughters, Laura lived on the family farm with her sisters, Helen, Jeannine, and Elaine. When Laura lost her mother to cancer in 1946, she returned home from Normal School to help care for her younger sisters, but was still able to get an interim standard certificate and begin teaching in the one room schoolhouse she had attended for years.

Laura married Ralph Robert Lawson in 1949 and together they had three sons: John Rayburn (1950), Kevin Robert (1951) and Bruce Ashley (1953). Tragedy struck in 1962 when Kevin died in a riding accident, but the family had an opportunity to expand two years later with the adoption of seven-year-old Betty Jane (1956).

The family left the farm in 1965 and Laura continued her teaching career in North Battleford. Laura worked hard to complete her Bachelor of Education in 1976 by taking correspondence courses, summer school and evening classes. Throughout her teaching career Laura worked in Grenada, South Africa, Namibia and Botswana. She was very involved in the Saskatchewan Teachers Federation and her local chapter of the Superannuated Teachers of Saskatchewan.

Teaching overseas led to a love of travel for Laura, and she traveled throughout Europe, Africa, Asia and Australia. In retirement, Laura worked with the United Church as a lay minister, enjoyed dancing, photography, handicrafts and reading.

Laura is survived by her sisters, Jeannine Burrows and Elaine Janzen; children, John (Valinda) Lawson, Bruce (Wendy) Lawson and Betty (David) Kendall; grandchildren, Kevin Lawson, Nicole (Henning) Van Den Berg, Michelle (Christopher) Kilduff, Corinne (Robert) Mathews, Travis (Stephanie) Kendall, Jeffrey (Lindsay) Kendall, and Courtney (Judd) Campbell; and great grandchildren, Willow and Avery Kilduff, Parker and Olivia Mathews, Jackson, Malcolm and Lincoln Kendall, and Nina Campbell. Laura is remembered by many nieces and nephews and members of the Peterson, Cunningham, and Lawson families.

A private, family service will be held for Laura at a later date. Condolences may be sent to www.hillcrestmemorial.ca

• Date : 2021-06-07