Obituary of Othneil Lawrence

Othneil L. Lawrence Lawrence,Othneil L. Endicott: Othneil L. Lawrence passed away on Monday, January 16, 2012 at Bridgewater Nursing Home in Binghamton. He was born on March 11, 1927 to his parents, Iris and Larry Lawrence, in Havana, Cuba. While in Cuba, he was a teacher and ultimately a principal at a primary school. Othneil came to the United States in the late 1950s, where he met his beloved wife Bernice F. (Williams) Lawrence while working for the New York Telephone Company. While working there, he re-established his teaching credentials. In the late 1970s, he received a college degree from Mercy College; shortly after receiving his degree, he began to teach again in the Bronx as a bilingual teacher until his retirement in 2000. Othneil is predeceased by his parents; his sisters, Berly D. Reid and Sybil Lawrence; brother Lester Lorenzo; brother-in-law Leonard G. Reid; nephew Marine Sergeant Leonardo E. Reid; niece LaJeania M. Reid; brother-in-law Simon (Carol) Williams; sister-in-law Thelma (Edward) Middleton; and brother-in-law Jessie Williams. He leaves his devoted wife of 53 years Bernice, his sister-in-law Geraldine Williams, his nieces Lucrecia D. (Charles) Neal and Irene L. Hill, great nephews and nieces Benjamin T. (Michelle) Hill, Tina R. Stivender, Michael L. (Vivian) Hill, great-grand nieces and nephews Tamon D. Stivender, Brittany R. Stivender, Jordan L. Hill, Donovan M. Hill, Xavier A. Hill, Baron I. Hill, TaMajah R. Stivender, Madison N. Hill, Ta'Mon D. Stivender, Jr., Barbara Middleton, Edward Middleton, Linda (Pete) Fleming, Louise P. Middleton, Dorothea (Scott) Mullen, Frances (Edward) Davis, Margaret (Phillip) Frances, Sherri Middleton of Endicott and Binghamton, Keith (Marjet) Williams, George Williams, Karen (Darryl) Davis, Sean Williams, Jeffery (Jeanette) Williams and Donna Williams, as well as a host of cousins, grandnieces, nephews and friends. The family would like to thank the doctors and staff of Bridgewater for their tender care. Funeral services will be held at Coleman & Daniels Funeral Home, 300 E. Main Street, Endicott at 12 PM on Monday, January 23, 2012. Burial service will follow at Riverside Cemetery in Endicott. The family will receive friends at the funeral home Monday from 11 AM until service time at noon.