After a very brief illness, the treasured life of Mr. Joseph Rodney Lawrence, 59, transitioned to glory on Thursday, May 10 at his home in Kernersville, NC.

A native of Chicago, Mr. Lawrence studied Business Administration at the University of Illinois Chicago Circle Campus and Philander Smith College in Little Rock, Arkansas. He moved from Chicago to Winston-Salem, N.C. in 1990 to join Segmented Marketing Services Inc. as a partner. With over 30 years experience in marketing, advertising and promotion, Mr. Lawrence has worked with well-known minority-owned companies including Johnson Products, Johnson Publishing, and Soft Sheen Products, as well as international companies such as McDonald's and Sears-Roebuck. He made career marks in advertising firms such as Leo Burnett where he worked as Media Buyer, Planner, and Bozell and Jacobs where he was an Account Supervisor. At McDonald's, Mr. Lawrence was the first African-American Regional Advertising Manager in the history of the company.

Mr. Lawrence's life indeed had purpose, painted its own picture, edited its own story and left its own memory as a wonderful and loving husband, adoring father, devoted son and brother, beloved business partner and company leader, caring friend, faithful member of St. Peter's Church and World Outreach Center and consummate believer in his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Joseph and Nina Lawrence, his younger brother, Bernard Lawrence and mother in-law, Earline Bell.

He leaves to cherish his loving memory his wife, Sharon; 13-year-old son, Christopher; and adult children Marshall Wade, Harold Johnson (Candace), and Kristyn Johnson (LaRon); a sister, Sharon Julien, two brothers, Dillard Lawrence and Brandon Burt; four grandchildren (Ariana {Cassiel}, Akira, Elijah and Lofton); and a host of in-laws: Clifton E. Drake, Jr. [father in-law] (Beverly); Carl Bell (Earline) stepfather-in-law; Rev. Dr. Raponzil Drake, sister-in-law; Roderick Drake, Clifton Drake, III, Eric Drake and Cedric Drake, brother-in-laws; as well as numerous other family members and friends.

Celebration of Life Services will be held at 2 pm Wednesday, May 16, 2007 at St. Peter's Church and World Outreach Center, 3683 Old Lexington Road, Winston-Salem, NC with Bishop James C. Hash officiating. Entombment will follow in Piedmont Memorial Gardens. The family visitation will be held from 1:30 pm until 2 pm.

In lieu of flowers and other commemorations, the family asks that memorials be made to a scholarship fund for his son Christopher Rodney Lawrence. Checks should be made payable to the Joseph Rodney Lawrence Scholarship Fund and mailed to the Truliant Federal Credit Union, Victory Member Financial Center, 889 North Liberty Street, Winston-Salem, N.C. 27101.