Jerry Lawrence Library Dedication
Catherine Lawrence and Mayor Rusty Quave share stories about Jerry Lawrence
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Family and Friends Honor D’Iberville’s First Mayor
The conference room of D’Iberville’s library began to fill with family members of the late Jerry Lawrence an hour before the official re-dedication of the building in his honor began. As the hour drew near, more and more of the Lawrence clan, a tight-knit, large family, poured in, joining government officials and friends. Before long it was standing room only and the punch was getting low.
As the brief ceremony began, friends and family took turns telling stories about the incredible life of Jerry Lawrence. While he is best known as D’Iberville’s first mayor, Lawrence was also extremely active in community and civic clubs. He and his wife, Catherine were very involved in their children’s lives, attending every sporting event and band concert, raising money to buy the band’s first uniforms. A lifelong friend, Brother Robert Carlisle remembered that Lawrence, an avid photographer, climbed up a pole at every football game to get good shots of the team.
Jerry Lawrence moved to D’Iberville with his family in 1957 and quickly became a community leader. He served in three branches of the military; the U.S. Coast Guard, the U.S. Army 138th Transportation Battalion and the U.S. Air Force Reserves. Serving on the school board, education was important to Mr. Lawrence. He helped the fledging city government establish a head-start program and a library, now named in his honor.
In the late 80s when Biloxi was seeking to annex the area called D’Iberville, Lawrence led an effort to, not only fight that annexation but to establish the municipality of D’Iberville. He fought tirelessly to that end and was first appointed interim mayor, then elected to the office.
His family and friends remember him as a man who always remembered your name and greeted you with a big smile and handshake. As Councilman Teddy Harder said Thursday evening, all of his accomplishments and evidences of his success are nothing next to the love and dedication he had for his family. That love was certainly reciprocated, judging from the crowd of daughters, sons, and grandchildren who turned out to commemorate a day that they are all very proud of.
“He would have been very proud,” Catherine Lawrence said.
After everyone spoke, the crowd mingled, ate the great food donated by Strami’s and had punch and cake, donated by Wal Mart. Outside, the family gathered under the big letters that read, “JERRY LAWRENCE MEMORIAL LIBRARY,” and cut a ceremonial ribbon making the name official.
“Now, he will always be remembered,” Joe Lawrence said.
