Betty Lawrence

Elizabeth “Betty” Stevens Smith Lawrence, 85, of Sanford, North Carolina went peacefully to be with her Lord and Savior on the morning of Tuesday, March 31, 2026 and was welcomed into her eternal heavenly home during Holy Week. What a day of rejoicing it must have been!

Betty was born in Sanford on August 28, 1940 to the late Thomas Edwin Smith and Elizabeth Stevens Smith. Betty was the second of three children and was preceded in death by her husband of almost 60 years, Joseph “Joe” Thaddeus Lawrence, her brother Thomas Edwin “Ed” Smith, Jr., her brother-in-law George Samuel Harvey, her sister-in-law Evelyn Lawrence Blue (Gilbert), her sister-in-law Hallie Lawrence Jones (John), her brother-in-law Cecil Mayo Lawrence (Hazel), her sister-in-law Gladys Lawrence Botzis (Archie), her sister-in-law Alice Lawrence Murray (Bill), her brother-in-law Thomas Aubrey Lawrence, Sr. (Loleta), her brother-in-law Roy Henderson Lawrence, her brother-in-law William Walter Lawrence (Isabel), her brother-in-law Frederick Reid Lawrence (Mary Edna), and her brother-in-law Cary Lee Lawrence.

Betty always spoke fondly of growing up in Lee County and having extended family living close by in Sanford and in Broadway. Her school years were filled with happy memories and dear friends, many of whom she kept in constant touch with and remained close to throughout her life.

After high school, Betty attended Peace College and East Carolina University, where she graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education. She was also a member of the Alpha Xi Delta sorority during her time at ECU. After teaching for one year in Fairfax County Schools in Virginia, Betty returned to Sanford and taught in the Lee County Schools for twenty-six years. She had a calling to teach and always approached each new school year as an opportunity to give her students a year of her life by pouring her time, energy, and efforts into teaching and nurturing them, while also expecting the best from them during their time together in the classroom.

Betty loved the Lord and others. She grew up attending First Presbyterian Church in Sanford, and after marrying Joe, she attended First Baptist Church. Betty faithfully served God in so many wonderful ways at First Baptist Church that made a positive impact on her church family and the community. From February 1978 until September 2018, she was the church librarian, which she had planned to do as an interim position for only six months following the retirement of the former church librarian, Miss Daisy Dowdy. However, six months turned into over 40 years of faithful service as the FBC librarian, which seemed fitting for someone like Betty, who was a dedicated educator, an avid reader, and a lifelong learner. Betty also loved the members of her Sunday School class and was a longtime member of the Eunice Rhyne Class, where she served for years on a rotating basis as one of their SS teachers. For over thirty years, she was on the Church History Committee. Betty had a special place in her heart for church members and others in her community that were homebound or living in assisted living communities, so she served with joy and purpose on the FBC Homebound Ministries Committee. She also enjoyed years of facilitating Ladies Bible Studies at First Baptist Church, alongside other faithful, godly ladies, and the participants were not only from FBC but from other churches in the community as well.

Betty loved her family and her extended family exceptionally well. Always making sure that her family was well-cared for, Betty was a devoted and loving wife to Joe and a wonderful and nurturing mother to her two daughters, Beth and Susan. Her daughters’ friends were always welcomed into their home and lives and were loved and treated by Betty as if they were her very own. She was an extremely generous person. She had a gift of hospitality and enjoyed hosting parties and events. She was an exceptional cook, enjoyed working in her yard, and was always ready for a fun day of shopping with her girls.

Betty loved her community and investing her time as a volunteer at the Lee County Bread Basket and serving as a Lee County Library Trustee and as Secretary for the Lee County Forestry Association. She also enjoyed many years as an active participant and member in numerous local clubs…Chicora Literary Club, Old North State Doll Club, Dogwood Garden Club, Pine Needles Garden Club, and Questers 1874…to name a few.

Once Betty became homebound, she longed to remain in her home until God took her to heaven. Only through God’s abundance and provision and the Holy Spirit’s strength and power were her daughters, her family physician, her many devoted caregivers, and her hospice nurse and aide able to honor her request and keep her in her home until she peacefully passed away.

Betty is survived by her daughter Elizabeth “Beth” Lawrence Adcock and husband Paul Jeter Adcock of Sanford and daughter Susan Lee Lawrence of Wilmington; grandchildren Joseph Albert Adcock and wife Sara Talley Adcock, Anna Elizabeth “Anna Beth” Adcock Miles and husband Jacob Deane Miles, and Sarah Lawrence Adcock; and twin great grandsons Jack Michael Adcock and Luke Jeter Adcock. Betty is also survived by her sister Rebekah Smith Harvey of Sanford, along with many nephews and nieces.

A celebration of life service will be held at 11:30am on Saturday, April 11, 2026 in the sanctuary at First Baptist Church in Sanford, NC, 202 Summit Drive, followed by a time of fellowship and remembrance in the church fellowship hall.

The family wishes to thank the many loving and dedicated caregivers (private care, Home Instead, and Visiting Angels) that took care of Betty during the past five years, as well as everyone with Amedisys Hospice that compassionately cared for Betty for the past fourteen months.

Memorial contributions may be made to the First Baptist Church Capital Improvements Fund, 202 Summit Drive, Sanford, NC 27330.