Sylvia Lawson Obituary

Sylvia Pamela Lawson BROADSTAIRS, KENT, UK - Pamela Lawson, age 81, of Broadstairs, Kent, England, passed away at her son's family home in Birmingham, Alabama, USA on January 27, 2017 after a long fight with cancer. Pamela was born in Margate, Kent on December 20, 1935 to the late Clarence Henry William Makeham and Charlotte Hallam Makeham and was predeceased by her two sisters, Beryl and Pat. She is survived by her immediate family in the USA, Benjamin (Diane) Lawson of Sarasota, Florida, Mark (Vickie) Lawson of Birmingham, Alabama, and Deborah Lawson and Erin Lawson (wife and daughter, respectively to the late David Lawson) of Charleston, S.C. Surviving in addition to her immediate family are her cousin and special friend, Bryan (Anne) Clark of Broadstairs, Kent, UK; and nephews and nieces, Anthony (Noya) Ramsdale and Phillip (Ann) Ramsdale of Hayes, Middlesex, UK, Ian (Caroline) Rice of Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire, UK, Robin (Maryflor) Rice of Perth, Australia, and from the USA, Elizabeth Newman of Atlanta, Georgia, Lawson (Andrea) Newman of Jackson, Mississippi, and Wesley Newman of Huntsville, Alabama. Pamela lived for many years in Charleston, South Carolina while married to Dr. Benjamin F. Lawson, D.D.S., then a Dean at the Medical University of South Carolina. There, she raised her three sons, attended Holy Trinity Episcopal Church and worked as the business manager at various other churches and physician's offices. In or around 1991, Pam returned to England and later settled at Stone Farm in her hometown of Broadstairs, Kent. Living at Stone Farm gave her the opportunity to exercise her love of gardening and the front of her home was often a mass of fuchsia and hollyhocks in the summer. In the UK, Pam also enjoyed "rambling" (walking) and was very active in the East Kent Rambling Club, who rambled both across the English countryside and in locations determined by its "twin" club in Boulogne, France. Pam was also an active member of the Ramsgate Croquet Club. Once she learned to play on the club's picturesque cliff-top lawns overlooking the English Channel, she became an avid fan. She participated in numerous croquet tournaments in England, France, and Belgium. In addition, Pam volunteered her time over many years to the Croquet Club's Committee. She was the Club Secretary and Membership Secretary among other contributions, all which gave her great joy. Pam also took pleasure in the Broadstairs Folk Festival and the Broadstairs Dickens Festival, the latter of which involves dressing in large Victorian hoop skirts and period bathing costumes often for a week at a time. Pam generously hosted and provided lodging in her home at Stone Farm to croquet players from a club in Brussels and students from the continent who were studying English at nearby language schools. Many of whom became close friends and would visit her on trips to England in their later years. Her generous spirit will be missed. The family would like to thank the following people, among others, for your friendships and time spent with Pamela: Her closest friends and confidantes, Roger King (ret. HMCE), who shared many a ramble and social outing with Pam and Miriam and Derek Richmond, who she considered as family; and Pam's friends and neighbors, Deidre, Jo, Roxanne and Kevin, and Michael and Peter; and other special friends, croquet player, Trevor Longman of Deal, Kent, Jenny Appels of Belgium, and Basil and Laurie Lempesis and Gale Daloia of Charleston, S.C. (West Ashley). Many thanks for the wonderful care that Pam received from her physicians and oncologists, Dr. Jane Brown at the Kent Oncology Centre, Canterbury, England; Dr. Jimmy Harvey, M.D., at the Grandview Medical Center, Birmingham, Alabama; and to the nurses, staff and team members of the 9th Floor North Ward at Grandview Medical Center; to Comfort Care Hospice, particularly to her hospice nurse, Suzanne Kilpatrick; and, finally, to Home Care Assistance of Birmingham, particularly to Tiffany Coleman. Tiffany was a godsend in Pam's final days and showed much kindness and devotion to her and the family. A private Memorial for Pamela will be held by the family and close friends at a future date. Please send expressions of sympathy to the family at P.O. Box 434, Clay, Alabama 35048. Donations in her memory may be made to charities supporting cancer research. Visit our guestbook at www.legacy.com/obituaries/ charleston