Justine Lawrence

Justine C. Lawrence, age 85, of Willmar, passed away on Tuesday, Jan. 23, at Benedictine Health Care at Innsbruck in New Brighton. Justine C. Lawrence, age 85, of Willmar, passed away on Tuesday, Jan. 23, at Benedictine Health Care at Innsbruck in New Brighton.


A worship service and celebration of life will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 27, at the Willmar United Methodist Church. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service. Interment will be at a later date at Rose Hill Cemetery in Winnebago. In lieu of flowers, memorials will be divided among the many charities Justine held dear. Arrangements are by Peterson Brothers Funeral Home. www.petersonbrothers.com


Justine Cherry Lawrence was born on October 28, 1932, in Winnebago, Minnesota, the youngest of Sherman and Isabel Oliver's three children. She grew up on a farm near Winnebago and graduated from Blue Earth High School.


On June 25, 1953, in Winnebago, Justine was united in marriage to Maynard Lawrence. They were married over 62 years. She was a devoted mother and cherished her ten grandchildren, four great grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.


She grew up a woman of faith and made the decision to go into a full-time Christian vocation as a high school student. She deepened her faith during her years at Macalester College focusing on religious education. She spent over 50 years in Christian Education at the state and local level. Her love for music led her to 40 years as a piano teacher, a lifetime of singing as a soloist and choir member as well as directing children and adult choirs. Justine enjoyed attending concerts and participating in Bible studies, Athenian Club, church circles and youth mentoring programs.


Justine and Maynard made their first home in Austin, Minnesota. They moved to Willmar in 1956 where they developed a deep love for the region. In 1986, after living in New Ulm, Mankato and Minneapolis. they returned to the Spicer area to build their home on George Lake. There Justine loved caring for the birds, watching the sunset, gardening and times when family and friends gathered.


Justine was called home on January 23, 2018. She is survived by her three daughters, Joann (and Keith) Freeburg of Landrum, SC, Debbie (and Jeff) Hewitt of Brooklyn Park and Caroline Winget of Plymouth; ten grandchildren and four great grandchildren.


She was preceded in death by her husband, Maynard in 2015; her parents, Sherman and Isabel Oliver; in-laws, Dean and Carrie Lawrence; brothers and sisters, Art and Janette Schultz, Charles and Dorothy Oliver, Virgil and Lila Lawrence, Delmar and Sophia Lawrence and a son-in-law, David Winget.

Cemetery Details