Hassel "H.B." Brown Lawrence
November 29, 1935 — December 4, 2017
Hassel Brown Lawrence, Sr. (H. B.), 82, of Otway, passed away Monday, December 4, 2017 at home surrounded by his loving family after suffering from heart disease.
His funeral service will be held 2:00 pm Thursday, December 7, 2017 at Munden Funeral Home Chapel in Morehead City. Interment will follow at Lawrence Family Cemetery in Otway.
In 1951, H. B. left home to pursue a career in dredging along the eastern seaboard where he met many lifelong friends. He began as an oiler with Norfolk Dredging and joined Latex Construction Company in 1966 as Chief Engineer where he worked until his retirement in 1991.
He enjoyed his later years with his family helping Granny with the grandchildren and later the great grandchildren until they would start school. H. B. lived and taught his Christian principles to his children and grandchildren by going to church, reading his Bible, loving his neighbors and sharing with those less fortunate. He read the Bible through numerous times. He loved planting and selling collards so he could socialize with anyone that stopped by. He was also well known for loving seafood and those who had seafood to sell, especially oysters, would always know where there was a sure sale.
He is survived by his loving and caring wife of 61 years, Myrtle Lee Willis Lawrence; daughter Cindy Lawrence Willis and husband Chris; son, Hassel Brown Lawrence, Jr. (Brownie) and wife Debbie; and daughter Juanita Lawrence Russell and husband, Jack Sheriff, Jr. (Jay), all of Otway. He is survived by six grandchildren, Renae Lawrence Willis and husband, Jason of Davis, Hassel Brown Lawrence, III (B. J.) of Farmville, Kari Lee Willis and husband Blair of Beaufort, Kacyn Alane Willis of Morehead City, Jack Sheriff Russell, III (Trey) and Jayme Lee Russell of Otway. He is also survived by four great grandchildren, Lawren Carleigh and Corey Neal Willis of Davis and Vivian Klaire and Maddox Corinne Willis of Beaufort. Other survivors include his brothers, Billy Clark Lawrence and Charlie Smith, and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Sylvester William Lawrence, Sr. and Julia Mae Lawrence, brothers Hassell Lawrence, Hardy Lawrence, Tilton Lawrence, and Sylvester Lawrence, Jr. and sisters Angus Willis, Eunice Beveridge, and Elizabeth Nelson.
The family wishes to thank Dr. C. V. Purushothaman,, Carteret Health Care 3rd Floor Nursing staff, and CHC Home Health, Physical Therapy and Hospice, Morehead City for their excellent care and for the compassion shown.
The family will receive friends 6:00 - 8:00 pm Wednesday, December 6, 2017 at Munden Funeral Home.
Flowers are welcome, or memorials can be sent to Island Road Baptist Church, 836 Harkers Island Road, Beaufort, NC 28516.
Online condolences may be made at www.mundenfuneralhome.net
Arrangements are by Munden Funeral Home and Crematory, Morehead City, NC.