Edna Lawson entered her eternal rest on June 10, 2009. She was preceded in death by her husband Curtis Lawson, her father M. L.Cooper and her mother Sarah Beulah Medaris Cooper (MamMaw). Her vision of heaven was to be able to join all her beloved family at a dinner around MamMaw's big table, and to laugh once again with them all. She is survived by her daughter JoAnna, sister, Faye Smith and brother W .C. Cooper. She is also survived by her Cooper family nieces and nephews: Bobbie, David, John, Lona, Tina, Dirk and Mike, by her Lawson family nieces and nephews: Dan, Sue, Harry Curtis, Steve, Dr. Katherine, Edward and Robert, and all their children, and by special friends Donna, Trudy, Joan and Sarah. Edna had a proud heritage, descending from her Medaris forebears, Pedro and Francesca, who were Portuguese immigrants to Virginia in the 1600's; her Goans antecedents, Daniel and Susan Inman Goans, who arrived from the Yorkshire area of Northern England in the early 1700's. Carlos Medaris served in the Continental Army as quartermaster to General George Washington. Her grandfather John Medaris served in law enforcement in their Tennessee community, and a great-uncle Rev. Robert Medaris was a co-founder of Cumberland College in Kentucky. For 93 years Edna has been a blessing to us all. She is beloved for her laughter and joy of being with her extended family and friends. She loved her church family at Valley Brook Baptist Church, where she was its oldest member. She was always kind and provided a loving ear to us all in good times and hard ones. Edna charmed all who met her and she could make a sign-post open up and talk! This trait stood her in good stead as she stepped in to run the family business in WWII when her husband Curt served as a quartermaster in General Patton's 3rd Army. She most ably handled every job in the company, from negotiating for scarce inventory , sales and shipments to customers, and handling all the legal and financial aspects of the business. Til the last days of her life she enjoyed meeting new people and never met a situation to make a deal that she didn't get a kick out of! Family and friends will be received at A.S. Turner Funeral Home, 2773 North Decatur Rd., Decatur, GA on Friday, June 12, 2009 from 6:00 to 8:00 P.M. The funeral service will be at Valley Brook Baptist Church, 1198 North Valley Brook Rd., Decatur, GA 30033 Saturday, June 13, 2009 at 2:00 P.M. Interment will follow immediately after the church service and will be in the family mausoleum at Forrest Hills Memorial Gardens, Forest Park, GA 30297. In lieu of flower the family requests donations to Hospice Atlanta who provided the most gentle, compassionate and attentive care to Edna in her last days, or to her loving church family at Valley Brook Baptist Church (address above). Donations to Hospice can be sent by check to: Visiting Nurse-Hospice Atlanta, Office of Advancement, 6610 Bay Circle, Suite C, Norcross, GA 30071. God bless us all and we thank Him for Edna’s Life. A. S. Turner & Sons
