Clara Teresa Lawson

Clara Teresa Lawson passed away on November 1, 2024, at the age of 99. A Funeral Mass will be 10:00 A.M. Wednesday, November 13, 2024 at St. Boniface Catholic Church. Visitation will be Tuesday, November 12, 2024 from 5:00 to 7:00 P.M. with rosary and vigil service at 7:00 P.M. at Meyer Brothers Colonial Chapel. Burial will be at Calvary Cemetery. 

Family was everything to Clara. In 1950, she married the love of her life, Ardell Lawson, who died December 5, 2005. They were married 55 years. They had three children: a son, Gregory, and two daughters, Gina and Leslie. Leslie is married to Barry Williams, and they have a son, Reese.

Her parents, Thomas and Maria Giannetti, were Italian immigrants. Clara had four sisters: Philomena Greteman, Alice Coppock, Lillian Gilman and Rita Lynch, all deceased. She has many nieces and nephews.

The following are some notable events in her life. In 1938, Clara received a special honor for outstanding leadership at summer playgrounds conducted by the Quota Club. She was given a silver medal for the highest number of points of all the children attending the activities in the city. She graduated with honors from Central High School in 1943. She was employed as a savings teller at the First National Bank for ten years. During that time, Clara was a member of the Beta Sigma Phi Sorority, a Business Women’s Association.

Clara was a member of St. Boniface Catholic Church where she was married and her husband was head usher for many years.

Clara enjoyed being a stay-at-home mom with her children and her husband. She took pride in her home often sharing her flowers and a meal.

Survivors include a son, Gregory, of Sioux City; two daughters, Gina of Boise, Idaho and Leslie and her husband, Barry Williams, of Boise, Idaho; two grandchildren, Lili Derby Lawson and Reese Williams. 

She was preceded in death by many beloved members of her family: her mother, father, husband, sisters, as well as in-laws, nieces and nephews.