ROCKINGHAM, Vt. – Jeremiah, loving son to Wanda and Kevin Lawrence, and awesome brother to Amanda, Missy, and Becca Lawrence, spent his last days with his family at the Jack Byrnes Center in Lebanon and ended his journey, Aug. 6, 2021.
He was born July 17, 1993. He graduated from Bellows Falls Union High School, in June of 2011. If you saw the newspaper that year, you would see him proudly accept his diploma with a big fist bump in the air. If you saw his class yearbook, you would see him clowning about. He always had mischief in his eyes and spending time with him meant fun and laughter.
Jeremiah went to culinary school for two years, and went to Tractor Trailer School getting his CDL. Driving trailer trucks is something he could have in common with his dad and grandpas. He loved playing drums and was in a band for a short time. Some of his fun times were spent jamming on his guitar with his sister.
He worked at Whelen in Charlestown at the time of his motorcycle accident in March of 2019. He loved attending bus trips with co-workers and helped with the Sunshine Fund at Whelen.
He loved spending time with friends and family, often inviting them over for barbecues at his Charlestown residence. He found ways to ham it up in most things, cracking a joke or just making you smile. He was a big brother to many. Many friends could tell you how he talked them through a rough time, or how he would find little fun ways to bring a smile and make situations better.
Jeremiah enjoyed working on his truck and cars. He had a love of life and valued friends and family most. He loved kids and you could often find him holding someone’s child while smiling, or teaching his nephews to walk on the ceiling at home, by flipping them upside down while their feet touched the ceiling, only to set them down, and have them say, “Do it again, Uncle Ja Ja!”
You always knew when he would pull in the yard to visit because you heard the exhaust on his truck before Rizzo barked to let you know he had arrived.
Jeremiah had two stays at Cheshire Medical (Farnum), throughout his Journey, the staff was like family, joking and chatting. The family even had contest to see who could make Jeremiah laugh the most. Jeremiah had to get in on the fun and make the staff laugh.
The first summer following his accident, he had short stay at a long-term facility in Massachusetts. Thank you to those of you who were so kind to our Jeremiah.
The staff at Dartmouth became J’s family when Covid made it impossible to visit. A huge thanks, to Cindy, Isabelle, Sarah, Allie, Beth, Phoebe, Catherine, Cat, Julia, Amy, Kegan, Jacob, Abby, Samantha, Rachel, Amber, and many more, so many of you were more than kind to Jeremiah and our family.
Our family would like to give a special thanks to the wonderful staff at the Jack Byrnes Center in Lebanon, N.H., for their great care of Jeremiah and for looking out for us as well.
We will always be sad that Jeremiah was taken from us too young; we will always, always miss him!
Jeremiah will especially be missed by his parents, Kevin and Wanda Lawrence of Rockingham, Vt., along with his sisters Missy Lawrence of Chester, Vt., Rebecca Lawrence of Bellows Falls, Vt., and Amanda Garvey, and nephews, Devin and Brayden, of Stowe, Vt.; along with many aunts, uncles, and cousins.
Besides his parents and sisters, Jeremiah leaves behind his grandparents, Norm and Calla Susee of Walpole, N.H., and grandfather Lynn Lawrence of Westminster, Vt. Jeremiah was predeceased by his grandmother Sylvia Lawrence of Westminster in June 2021 and grandfather Bernard Rumrill of Bellows Falls, Vt. in 2010.
Viewing hours will be Thursday, Aug. 12 at Fenton & Hennessey Funeral Home in Bellows Falls, from 6-8 p.m. A graveside service will be held Saturday, Aug. 14, at 4 p.m. at the Rockingham Meeting House Cemetery, followed by a celebration of life at the home of his parents.