V. Hope Lawlor

Virginia Hope Lawlor, 89, died peacefully surrounded by her loving family on October 4, 2018 at St. Elizabeth Home in East Greenwich.  She was the beloved wife of John B. Lawlor, MD, to whom she was married for 67 years. Born in Providence, she was the daughter of the late Edward C. and Gertrude Hope (Connors) Daley.

Hope received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Simmons College in 1951 and married Jack the next month. As newlyweds they lived in Charleston, SC where Jack was a Lieutenant in the U.S. Navy and later they spent a year in New York City while he served a portion of his residency at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital. But most of their life together was in Rumford, RI, where they raised their five children, and later in East Greenwich, RI.

Once her children were in school, Hope worked as a Registered Nurse for Children’s Friend and Service. She was an active member of the Rhode Island Hospital Guild, serving two terms as president, and a member of the Interfaith Health Council for many years. She was a communicant at Our Lady of Mercy Church in East Greenwich.

Hope was born on Christmas Day and celebrated each year by hosting wonderful family Christmas Eve gatherings. A great cook, she loved testing new recipes on her family. She was a gardener, a beachcomber and first mate to Jack as they sailed to many New England ports.

Most of all Hope loved her family.

Besides her husband, she leaves her son, John B. Lawlor, Jr. of East Providence, her daughter Peggy Lamb and her husband Tom of East Greenwich, her daughter Joanne Boehme of Juneau, AK and her late husband, Fred, her daughter Dr. Elizabeth Lawlor of Diamond Bar, CA, and her daughter Jean Lawlor of Fairhaven, MA. Hope is also survived by her grandchildren Chris Lawlor, Sarah Ballard, Erin Stauder, James Lamb, Caroline Lamb-Oteri, Colin Mariott-Sanders and Daniel Lawlor Sanders. She also leaves five great granddaughters, her brother Rev. Edward R. Daley, O.P. of Cumberland, RI and her sister Ruth N. Sharkey of Watchung, NJ.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Thursday October 11 ^th at 10:00 am at Our Lady of Mercy Church, 65 Third St., East Greenwich. Burial will be private. Calling hours are omitted. In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory may be made to Our Lady of Mercy Church, 65 Third Street, East Greenwich, RI 02818.