Mrs. Ella M. Gallagher Lawson, 83, of LaPorte, died Friday, June 21, 2013, at the home of her daughter in LaPorte.
She was born March 10, 1930, in Talbott, Tennessee, to Thomas A. and Gracie (Lowe) Williams. She had lived in the LaPorte area for the last 41 years.
Ella retired from RIPCO in LaPorte after 11 years of service. She was a member of First Apostolic United Pentecostal Church. She loved spending time with her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and traveling back home to Tennessee to visit with family. She loved her church and her church family, and she loved flowers.
On July 4, 1953, in LaPorte, she married Frances E. Gallagher, who preceded her in death June 2, 1975. She remarried on Aug. 11, 1980, in LaPorte, to Dan Lawson, who preceded her in death Aug. 6, 1985.
Ella was also preceded in death by her parents; son-in-law, Bill Kopkowski; stepson, Ronald Lawson; five sisters, Hazel Grooms, Ruth Grooms, Martha Perkins, Mary Lou Wright and Katherine Williams; and two brothers, John Williams and Austin Williams.
She is survived by two daughters, Carolyn (Bill) Kopkowski of LaPorte and Karen (Ben) Oudhuis of New Carlisle, IN; son, Edward F. Gallagher of LaPorte; eight grandchildren, Nathen (Verna) McAlister, Joan Moran, Aaron Kopkowski, Jacob Schmidt, John (Kim) Schmidt, Amy Schmidt, Lauren Hughes, and Chelsea Gallagher; 17 great-grandchildren; stepson, Donald Lawson of Michigan City, IN; three stepdaughters, Geraldine Mullins of Las Vegas, NV, Darlene Lindsay of LaPorte and Ida Huffman of LaPorte; and several nieces and nephews.
The family will receive friends Tuesday, June 25, from 4 to 7 p.m. and Wednesday, June 26, from 9 to 10 a.m. at Haverstock Funeral Home and Cremation Services, LaPorte. A life celebration will be held Wednesday at 10 a.m. at the funeral home with Rev. Richard Hoffman officiating. Interment will follow at Pine Lake Cemetery, LaPorte.
Memorial contributions may be made to VNA Hospice of LaPorte, P.O. Box 250, LaPorte, IN 46352; or First Apostolic United Pentecostal Church, P.O. Box 1465, LaPorte, IN 46352.
Messages of condolence may be posted below on WNLP, as well as at www.haverstockfuneralhome.com.