Mary Lanelle Lawrence

Mary Lanelle Lawrence of Windemere, Florida, passed away peacefully on February 21, 2025, surrounded by her family. She was born Mary Lanelle Caldwell to Robert and Iva Caldwell in Houston, Texas on January 21, 1941. She lived the first 74 years of her life in Texas. She moved to Florida with her daughter Kelli Davis and son-in-law Brian Davis 10 years ago.

She was a proud graduate of Sam Houston High School in Houston, Texas, graduating in December 1958. She was a committed stay-at-home wife and mother who returned to work as a secretary after raising her three children. She married Mark and Kelli’s father, Alan Newman, in 1963 and divorced in 1974. She later met the love of her life, John David “Dave” Sloan, who she married in 1976 and had her third child, David. 

Throughout her life, she enjoyed creating art through various media such as oil painting, macrame, ceramics, quilting, needlepoint, and writing. She was also an avid reader often devouring multiple books each week. She was adventurous and loved to travel with her family. She was a devout Christian who enjoyed attending church and spent many years singing in the choir. Her most proud accomplishment was being a mother to her three children.

In her later years, she enjoyed spending time travelling between Texas and Florida several times a year to visit her children. In Texas, her youngest son David and his wife Haley would take her to look at Texas wildflowers, to eat at one of her favorite restaurants Cracker Barrel, and to the movies. She also enjoyed playing dominos and working on puzzles with her daughter-in-law. In Florida, she loved going on nature drives, watching sunsets on her lake, taking boat rides, and shopping boutiques.

When not on adventures, she could be found watching old westerns and various crime and police shows on TV, coloring intricate on-line coloring pages, or calling her friends and family members.

She was preceded in death by her parents Bob and Iva Caldwell, husbands Alan Newman, Dave Sloan, and Jerry Lawrence, sister Shirley Matthews, grandson Daniel Newman, and granddaughter Amber Newman. She is survived by her son Mark Newman and his wife Michelle of Lubbock, Texas, daughter Kelli Davis and her husband Brian of Windemere, Florida, son David Sloan and his wife, Haley of Katy, Texas, as well as six grandchildren and eleven great-grandchildren. 

Mary will be remembered for her love of her children and their families, her devotion to Jesus Christ, her many catchphrases and “Mom-isms”, as well as countless wonderful memories she gave her family and friends. 

Services to be held March 1st, 2025 at 11:00 AM at Croley Funeral Home – Gladewater 401 N Center St, Gladewater, TX 75647 and she will laid to rest next to Dave Sloan in Harris Creek Cemetery, 14037 CR 336, Tyler, TX 75708.