Esther Gillikin Lawrence Knudsen

Esther Gillikin Lawrence Knudsen, 91, of Bettie, passed away Friday, July 5­, 2019, at Vidant Medical Center in Greenville.

Her funeral service will be held at 3 p.m. on Sunday, July 7, 2019, at the Welcome Home Free Will Baptist Church in Bettie, officiated by Evangelist Ray Gaskins. Interment will follow at the Gillikin Family Cemetery on Firetower Road in Otway.

Esther was born on June 2, 1928, at the family home on Firetower Road in Otway. She loved to garden, but more than anything she loved her family. It was the love she had for her children that prompted her to place her children first in everything she did. She was a devoted and loving mother who will be dearly missed.

She is survived by her husband, Lester Knudsen of the home; daughter, Ella Gillikin and husband Kendall of Bettie; sons, Thomas Lawrence and fiancé Karen Long of Harkers Island and Anthony Lawrence and wife Doreen of Otway; grandsons, Thomas Lawrence Jr. and fiancé Mattie of Harkers Island, Makley Joe Lawrence and wife Angelia of Harkers Island and Jeremy Gillikin of Bettie; sister, Linda Patten and husband Thomas of Port Charlotte, FL; brother, Joseph Gillikin, Jr. and wife Sherry of New Jersey; sister-in-law, Violet Ray Gillikin of Otway; nieces and nephews, Debra Guthrie, Theodore Charles Lord, Charles Ferrell Lord, Helen Ozturk, Frances Straugh and husband Francis, Thomas Patton, Jr., Wayne Patton, Stephen Patton, Randy Gillikin, Ryan Gillikin, Delfridea Garner and husband Bobby, Shanna Chunn and husband Mike, Latricia Middlemiss and husband Bryan, Kyle Gillikin and wife Violet, and Sandy Gillikin.

She was preceded in death by her first husband, Dover Lawrence; second husband, Theodore Lawrence; daughters, Joanne Lawrence and Deana Lawrence; parents, Joseph and Earle Gillikin; daughter-in-law, Lizzie Lawrence; sisters, Janice Lord, Golda Gillikin; brothers, Ross Gillikin, Hubert Gillikin, Luther Gillikin and E.P. Gillikin; nephews and nieces, John Hancock, Craig Gillikin, Charlotte Daniels and Betty Wood.

Family will receive friends from 2 p.m. until 3 p.m. on Sunday, July 7, 2019, at the Welcome Home Free Will Baptist Church in Bettie.

Flowers are welcome, or memorial donations may be sent to the Welcome Home Free Will Baptist Church at 195 Old River Road, Beaufort, NC 28516.

Family and friends are welcome to submit online condolences at www.mundenfuneralhome.net

Arrangements by Munden Funeral Home and Crematory in Morehead City, NC.