Iva Lucille Ward Lawrence

 Iva Lucille Ward Lawrence, age 89, went home to be with the Lord on her birthday, Saturday, January 28, at her residence, after telling her children that she was having a birthday party with Jesus. 
     Iva was born on January 28, 1934, in Portland, Ohio.  She was the daughter of the late Ray Ward and Margaret (VanMeter) Donahue.   She was married to Clarence G. Lawrence who preceded her in death on June 5, 2007, after 56 years of marriage.   Besides her parents she was also preceded in death by her father and mother-in-law, James H. and Hattie Lawrence; brothers, Alfred Ward, Paul Ward, Bud Boso, and Joe Goodballet; sister, Zona Crabtree; brothers-in-law, Norman, Charles, Howard and Joe Dale Lawrence; sisters-in-law, Ina Ward and Marsha Ward; daughters-in-law, Patty Lawrence and Annie Lawrence; grandson, Jeremy Lawrence, grand son-in-law, Michael Bailey; and grand daughter-in-law, Sydnie Johnson.
     Besides being a devoted wife, mother, and housekeeper, Iva was also proud to have served as Postmaster of the Portland Post Office for 32 years and made many friends throughout the community and was known to have served her public in many ways, even sometimes delivering Christmas parcels to anxiously awaiting patrons on Christmas Eve.  She was a member of the Carmel Sutton Church and was known as “Grandma Iva” to most of the members, and many others in her life.
     She is survived by her sons, James Ray (Barbara) Lawrence of Syracuse,  Clarence Melvin (Nancy Bird) Lawrence, Bryan Lee (Anita) Lawrence both of Portland, and daughter Brenda Sue (Joe) Johnson of Portland; grandchildren, Jennifer (Ryan) Brown, Jason (Robyn) Lawrence, Melody Bailey, Tyler Johnson, Adam (Stephanie) Johnson, Dustyn (Samantha Turner) Johnson, and Samantha (Jay) Farra; step-grandchildren, Levi (Brooklyn) Metheney and Chase McElfresh; great-grandchildren, Victor, Marshall and Curtis Brown, Orville Lawrence, Kristin McKay, Tori Bailey, Hadley and Corbyn Johnson, Jourdyn and Sawyer Johnson, Weston and Bennett Turner, and Ava and Austin Farra; step great-grandchildren, Braden and Raylan Metheney.
     Also surviving are brothers, Frank (Nora) Ward and John (Teresa) Ward; sisters, Albina Stanley, Alice Osborne, Linda (Kenny) Cochran and Darlene (Jim) Curran; brother-in-law, Fred Crabtree and sister-in-law, Audrey Ward, and numerous nieces, nephews, friends, neighbors and her cat, Socks. 
     Funeral services will be at 1:00 pm on Friday, February 3, 2023, at Carmel Sutton Church, 31435 Pleasant View Road, Racine, Ohio with Pastor Mark Mitera officiating.  Burial will follow at Browning Cemetery in Portland, Ohio.   Friends may call at the Anderson-McDaniel Funeral Home, Pomeroy, Ohio, from 5 to 8 pm on Thursday, February 2, 2023, or one hour prior to the service at the church on Friday.  In lieu of flowers contributions may be made to the Carmel Sutton Church in Iva’s name.