AUGUSTA - The Maine Legislature honored Irving Lee Lawrence of Kittery with a moment of silence on April 10 for his service to the country and state.
Lawrence died March 22, 2008, at his home in Kittery.
Irving Lawrence was the father of former House member Mark Lawrence, who following his two terms in the House of Representatives served four terms in the Maine Senate, including two as Senate President. He currently serves as District Attorney in York County.
Rep. Walter Wheeler, D-Kittery, submitted the sentiment in tribute to Lawrence for his many years of service to the Kittery community.
The sentiment was cosponsored by Sen. Peter Bowman, D-Kittery, and Rep. Dawn Hill, D-York.
Lawrence and his wife of 63 years, Evelyn, were active members of the town's social and religious community. Lawrence was a member of the First Congregational Church of Kittery at Kittery Point, where he served as a superintendent of the Sunday School and a church trustee.
"I join with my fellow members of the House in expressing our condolences to Evelyn, Mark and the entire Lawrence family," said Wheeler. "In addition to his service here in Kittery, Irving also served our country during World War II as a member of the United States Navy. He married his wife, Evelyn (Betts) Lawrence, during the war in October of 1949."
Lawrence was born in Dansville, N.Y. He came to New England seeking work, first at the Quincy, Mass., shipyard and then in Kittery, where he worked for almost 39 years.
He is survived by his wife and his four sons, Jeff, Gary, Jon and Mark, and their families.
