Dinaween Lawrence

Dinaween Bridgeman Lawrence was born in Snyder, Texas on July 2, 1915 to James Turner Bridgeman and Hattie Mae Byrd Bridgeman. She resided in Snyder until 1933 and then moved, with her family, to Lubbock, Texas. Lubbock High School was brand new, and Dina attended LHS her Junior and Senior year, excelling in theatre, singing and having a great good time! She later attended Texas Tech, where she was selected Most Beautiful Coed at Tech, her Freshman year. She met Clayton Lawrence while attending Texas Tech, fell in love, and married him on October 27, 1934. Clayton and Dina Later moved to Dallas, Texas, where they resided for twenty-five years. During that happy time in Dallas, they had two children, Gary and Kim, and Dina spent her time being a wonderful wife to Clayton, a fantastic Mother to her two children, a volunteer at their schools, a teacher in the Junior Department of the Sunday School at Highland Park Baptist Church, and in the last years, a devoted caretaker to her elderly Father and Mother. In 1960, Dina and Clayton had the opportunity to moved back to Lubbock, where Clayton would be affiliated with Texas Tech Accounts Payable, and Dina, after taking care of her parents until they died, was the Lighting Consultant and buyer at Fields and Company, where she remained for twenty years. During these years, she and Clayton were gifted with seven precious grandchildren, who were absolutely the delight of their lives! Clayton passed away on January 18, 1992. After his death, she continued to live a full life, welcoming twelve great grandchildren, who all called her “Nannie”. She also enjoyed a very sweet friendship with an old friend of hers from high school, Albert Symes. They enjoyed each other’s company until Albert’s death, about ten years later. Dina was a devoted member of First United Methodist Church, and loved going to church every Sunday, and being a part of The Tuesday Morning Bible Study Group, where she had many of her dearest friends. Her family REALLY loved her incredible Sunday dinners, slumber parties with her special cinnamon toast, her amazing storytelling abilities, her fantastic sense of humor, her kindness, generosity and her UNCONDITIONAL LOVE for all. For those members of her family and friends, there will never be another soul so lovely or unforgettable. Dina is survived by her son Gary Lawrence and his wife Sheryl, her daughter Kim Ansolabehere and husband Ben; seven grandchildren, Clayton Lawrence and his fiancé’ Suzanne, Wade Lawrence, Melinda Pettigrew and her husband Bryan, Mandy Smith and her husband Matthew, Fletcher Murchison, Will Murchison and his wife Kenye Kay, and Max Murchison. She will also be terribly missed by her great grandchildren; Drake and Tesslyn Lawrence, Carter and Callie Pettigrew, Campbell, Lila Jane, and Brynn Lawrence, Otis, Oscar and Ozzie Smith, and Tucker and Cash Tranum. Dina’s family would also like to extend their love and appreciation to the amazing people who took such loving care of her; the incredible staff at Tanglewood Estate, Mary Lou Chavez, the team of doctors and nurses at Covenant Hospital, especially the Palliative Care Unit and Dr. Robert Salem. The family would ask that memorials be made to the Music Department of First United Methodist Church or The Salvation Army.

Dinaween Lawrence

July 2, 1915 - January 13, 2018