January 7, 2019
On Thursday October 18, 2018, Jeanne (Benoit) Lawrence, loving mother of two children, passed away at the age of 78. Jeanne was born on January 2, 1940 in Central Falls, RI to Emile and Medora Benoit. She graduated from St. Jean's Academy High School in Pawtucket, RI. She worked at Hasbro Toy Company. She got married in 1959 to the late Joseph Lawrence and raised two children Michael and Linda.
In 2002 she retired from AT Cross Pen Company after 17 1/2 years of dedicated service. She later left the small state of Rhode Island behind to moved to Tampa Florida to be with her daughter and only grandchild. She worked up the courage to venture out into the city where the streets were 8 lanes wide. Driving was a challenge and finding herself doing lots of U-Turns in a county that was bigger than the state she grew up in.
After learning to drive the back roads she joined the Northdale Owls Club in Tampa where she met many lively seniors. She accomplished her dream to travel and went on many trips from Alaska to the Vatican in Rome. She enjoyed being retired and filled her time up join groups and learning to play the kazoo, ping-pong, Bunko and sing. Later she started attending St. Timothy's Catholic Church and Friday night BINGO. She also enjoyed music and dancing and also became a member of the Bells and Bachelors Dancing Club. She took classes at Roy Haynes Recreation Center for line dancing. She lots of close friends whom she enjoyed monthly get togethers, going out to eat or playing Bonko, Rummikub or Bingo. She was one that could laugh at herself for accidentally saying the wrong thing and start the whole group laughing with her infectious laugh.
She leaves behind a son Michael and wife Carie, Daughter Linda and a grandson Aaron, a brother Gerard and Wife Donna, and sister in-laws, Denise, Pat, and Beatrice and husband Walter and many nephews and nieces. We will miss her dearly and her kind and compassionate spirit and laughter. In lieu of flowers, make donations in Jeanne's name to Health Well Foundation for Giant Cell Arteritis patients assistance, Vasculitis Foundation for Giant Cell Arteritis (GCA) and/or Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR) or the NORD National Organization of Rare Disorders are welcome and appreciated. Friends and family can pay their respects at the funeral mass service, officiated by St. Timothy's Catholic Church, on Wednesday, January 9, 2019 from 8:30 to 10:00 a.m. at 17512 Lakeshore Road, Lutz, Florida.