Esmie Theresa Lawrence affectionately known as “Mom” or “Aunt Esmie” was born on February 13th, 1932, in Kingston, Jamaica, West Indies, to Clifford and Johanna Harrison. Esmie attended East Branch Catholic School in Kingston, until the completion of studies at the age of 15. Esmie was a quiet and shy girl, but she looked out for the younger girls around her. She was a member of the YWCA, the 4-H Club, and participated in the husbandry and gardening programs.
Early on Esmie worked as a skilled seamstress providing sewing and embroidering service for various factories. She worked from home while taking care of her children and providing for her family. She would often make clothes for family members, especially her nieces. She also performed various duties for her brother who was an early show promoter.
Esmie immigrated to Cleveland, Ohio in 1967 to work as a governess and domestic worker. She worked for several families during this early time and was often requested by other families because of her hard work ethic, superb cooking abilities, and her gentle caring personality. It was also during this time that she met other Jamaican women working in the same capacity, which forged life-long friendships that became the cornerstone of the Jamaican community here in Cleveland, Ohio. These women would meet on their off days, to go shopping and eat lunch at the department stores in downtown Cleveland, such as Higbee’s and The May Company.
In 1970 she took a position as a cook at the former Mt. Sinai Medical Center in Cleveland, Ohio. Esmie worked very hard, sacrificed, and saved her money to help her family and friends. Over several years she was able to send back to Jamaica for her husband Anthony, daughter Jennifer, son Garfield, her three sisters, and a sister-in-law. She worked tirelessly as a cook for 28 years until her retirement in 1998. Esmie was a great cook and was often requested to cater for weddings, parties, club, and church functions. It was even said that Esmie could Jerk a stone to taste good. Esmie never stopped working, she also cared for her nephew’s newly born daughter, Faith Reid. She loved to travel with her husband’s cricket club, family, friends, and her daughter’s sorority, to many cities and sights around the country and she even visited London and Paris.
After being raised under the Catholic denomination for several years, she converted to the Baptist denomination and was baptized at Grace Tabernacle Baptist Church in the spring of 1998. Esmie was a very dedicated member and quickly became involved in the church’s mission. She was head of the Hospitality Ministry that hosted the weekly hospitality hour, which provided refreshments for members after service. Another major event was the Christmas Meeting and Cookie Exchange for The American Baptist Women of Greater Cleveland. Esmie took pride in planning a world-class event with all amenities of a full-course meal, such as warm soup to stimulate the palette. This became a favorite yearly event for these women.
She joined the Women’s Ministry and served multiple terms as Treasurer and Caring Chair. As a member of the Caring Ministry, she was the person in charge of sending sympathy cards to members that were in need of various emotional support. Esmie wrote personal notes on each and every card and was meticulous about the message given to every member depending on their circumstance. On October 23, 2005, she was presented with the Grace Tabernacle Baptist Church, Woman of the Year award. This award recognized “Christian Women Loving and Serving God with All Our Hearts”. She was also a member of the Usher Board where she always greeted members and visitors to Grace with a pleasant smile and some kind words. At the end of service, she would always ensure that the sanctuary was cleared of all debris and ready for the next service or event. She enthusiastically served in this capacity, even with her walker, until the emergence of COVID-19.
In her spare time, Esmie enjoyed reading, solving crossword puzzles, and watching her favorite talk show, The View with Whoopi Goldberg. She would also dabble in some politics as issues were presented and would debate these issues with her bestie Delores Taylor. She liked football and often supported her home team, the Browns by placing decorations on the kitchen walls. Esmie was loved and cherished by all her family and friends and will be dearly missed for years to come.
Esmie departed this life peacefully on Friday, September 2nd, 2022. She was preceded in death by her parents, her late husband Anthony D. Lawrence, and her six brothers and seven sisters.
She leaves to cherish her memories, her daughter, Jennifer; son, Garfield Sr. (Lurline); sister, Pauline Dixson of London, England; two sisters-in-law, Doreen Lawrence of New York, and Aldeen Osmond Clarke of Jamaica; two grandchildren, G. Wayne Anthony Lawrence, Jr., and Jordan Lawrence; as well as a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives, and many friends.