Mary's journey through this life started on a farm in Clay County, where she was born to EW and Rhoda King on May 12, 1927, the youngest of seven children. Mary had a full lifetime of experiences with her church and family her first concerns. She lived as she believed, she wasn't afraid to share her beliefs and was received into her forever home on Oct 12, 2023.

Mary was preceded in death by her husband, Wallace Lawrence; daughter, Patricia Lawrence; parents, EW and Rhoda King; and older siblings, Leo King, Ray King, Ralph King, Margaret Abbott, Roy King and Charles King.

She is survived by her three children, Carol Hutchison (Oscar), Eileen Tate (Rabbitt) and James Lawrence (Lisa).

Mary graduated from Clay County High School in 1945, and worked for Libby Owen Ford Glass Company in Kanawha City prior to her marriage to Wallace in 1946. They lived in Bomont for a short time before moving to Charleston.

Six grandchildren, Michael Inman, Brian (Nicki) Inman, Lynn (James) Kaiser, Colt (Jessica) Smith, JD Lawrence and Lindsey Lawrence; five great grandchildren, Katy Kaiser, Hope Inman, Michael G Inman, Evelyn Inman and Addison Smith; and a special nephew, Jim King all who generated excitement, fun, some worry, and a lot of love.  Something was always going on.

Mary was a devoted 60-year member of the Dunbar Church of Christ where she taught Sunday School and she also spent a lot of time as a caregiver of friends and acquaintances that she knew needed her help.

She was a volunteer cook at the Surprise Valley youth camp in Beckley, and a cook at the Dunbar Junior High School. Mary did piece work at home for Unique Auto Mops for many years.  She learned to do upholster work and tailoring, Mary was a quilter. At the age of 92,she mowed her own lawn and a blade of grass was not allowed to be out of place. She did it her way! At almost 80, she still painted the outside of her own house, end result was a broken arm. She drove herself to the hospital because she would not own up to what happened.

Our family will always be grateful for the love and care that the caregivers bestowed on Mary during her extended illness and thankful for the staff of Meadowbrook Acres for the special attention and care they gave Mary during her final weeks with us.

Visitation will be at Cunningham-Parker-Johnson Funeral Home in Charleston on Wednesday, October 18 at 11:00am. The service will be at noon, with interment to follow at the E W King Cemetery in Bomont.