Kermit Gerald “Gerry” Lawrence Jr. passed away peacefully at home aged 85 on April 16, 2024 due to complications of heart failure.  He was a resident of Virginia Beach, VA for 62 years.  He spent his final days surrounded by family and friends, secure in the knowledge that he was leaving behind a legacy of love, laughter, fellowship and service.

He was born in November 1938 in Lumberton, Mississippi to Kermit Lawrence, Sr and Marie Schwierjohn Lawrence.  He spent many happy years there on his grandfather’s farm growing up with his extended family.  He moved with his family to postwar Japan and Puerto Rico as a child and graduated from Saint Stanislaus High School in Bay St Louis, Mississippi.  After high school he joined the Army, where he began a lifetime of government service.  Shortly after his honorable discharge from the Army, he met the love of his life, Mary Chidester Lawrence.  They bonded over their common experience of childhoods spent overseas and a shared love of travel.  They quickly married, had children, bought a house in Virginia Beach, VA and never again moved.  Gerry used his training as an electronics technician to obtain a job working on guided missiles at Fort Story, VA and throughout Hampton Roads.  At the same time, he attended night school on the GI Bill and proudly graduated from Old Dominion University with a Bachelor’s of Science in 1972.  This directly led to more responsible positions with the government, ultimately culminating in a job with COMNAVAIRLANT where he managed the flight simulator and training programs for many years before his retirement in 2000.  He was not only a dedicated public servant, but also fun loving and witty with a dry sense of humor and many friends in the area.  He was a devoted family man, often found coaching sports teams, refereeing and even acting as a league commissioner for the local flag football league.  His bond with his children and grandchildren was immensely important to him and many of his happiest memories were of being surrounded by his large and boisterous family.  He will be sorely missed by all who knew him.

Gerry is survived by his loving wife of​​ 62 years, Mary Chidester Lawrence, beloved children Michael Lawrence (Lisa), Tina Lawrence, Karen Golden (Tim), and Kathleen LaMotte (Matt), brother Mike Lawrence and was known as Pop to his six surviving grandchildren: John, Colin, Seth, Matthew, TJ and Steven.  One granddaughter, Maria, and daughter-in-law, Catherine, preceded him in death. He was also known as Pop to Amina and Adam Ghassab as well as their mother Julie who has been close to the family since she was born.  There are also many lifelong friends considered by the rest of the family to be part of our clan.  His cousins, nephews, nieces, great nephews and great nieces are innumerable and also deeply loved and join us in our sorrow.

A visitation will be held at Bliley’s Funeral Home at 6900 Hull Street Rd in Richmond VA on Saturday April 27, 2024 at 1:00 pm, followed by a celebration of life at 2:00 pm at the same location. There will be a funeral mass at St Edward’s Catholic church on Tuesday April 30, 2024 at 1:00 pm.  In lieu of flowers, the family requests that a memorial gift in Gerry’s memory be made to the Memorial Sloane Kettering Cancer Center at​​: https://secure2.convio.net/mskcc/site/TR?pg=personal&fr_id=4085&px=5358235