Donna B. Lawrence (1936-2020)
Longtime Toledo teacher was known for caring, patience.
By Mike Sigov / The Blade
Tue, 11 Aug 2020 04:00:00 GMT
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Donna B. Lawrence, who taught elementary and special-education students in Toledo Public Schools for more than a quarter century, died July 31 at Glendale Assisted Living. She was 84.
She had Alzheimer’s disease, said her son Greg Lawrence.
Mrs. Lawrence retired in 1999 after 28 years at Toledo elementary schools. She taught remedial reading classes at the former Heatherdowns Elementary School, Stickney Elementary School, and most recently at Riverside Elementary School.
“My mother was caring and very patient to all of her students.” Mr. Lawrence said. “She touched a lot of students during her lifetime and many of them kept in touch with her.”
Stickney and Riverside often lacked supplies at the time, and she bought supplies for students whose families couldn’t afford them, her son said.
Mrs. Lawrence was in awe of education from an early age, he said.
“It was instilled in her by her mother, who held that education was most important,” Mr. Lawrence said. “She later passed it down to us, her sons. We learned from her that the more you learn and the harder you work, the better it is for you and your family,”
In retirement, Mrs. Lawrence traveled a lot in North America and Europe with her husband, Jack Lawrence, who retired the same year she did after 45 years working for the Conrail railroad and several predecessor lines. She also enjoyed golfing, playing bridge, reading, and gardening.
Born July 13, 1936, in Toledo, she was the only child of Shirley and Morton Callaghan.
She graduated from Libbey High School in 1954 and then obtained bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education from the University of Toledo in 1958 and 1980, respectively.
Mrs. Lawrence was proud of having studied at UT, where she was a member of the Chi Omega sorority as an undergraduate, especially enjoying her role as a pledge mother, her son said.
In 1958, she married Jack Lawrence, an Army veteran of the Korean War who had also studied at UT. They settled in South Toledo, where they raised two sons. He died in 2013.
Mrs. Lawrence was member of a garden club and a book club, both locally.
Surviving are her sons, Jeff and Greg Lawrence; three grandsons; and a great-grandson.
Services were private. The Newcomer Funeral Home’s Southwest Chapel handled arrangements.