Annemarie Lawler

Annemarie Lawler
1973-2022

Beloved wife, daughter, mom, sister, aunt, and friend, Annemarie Lawler went home to be with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on July 3, 2022. Ann’s pillar of strength was her unshakeable faith in God and she sought out opportunities to share that faith with all—especially those in need. She reflected the love of Christ in everything she did, and her loving personality drew people to her.

Ann was born on April 2, 1973, in Camden, New Jersey, to Catherine and Walter Baxter. She was the youngest of nine children, and her dad would often take her with him as he worked three jobs to support his family. His diagnosis of cancer when Ann was only eight years old was a primary motivator for her to pursue a career in healthcare. After graduation from Sterling High School in New Jersey, Ann attended Gloucester Community College for two years, where she excelled in her academics. She then was accepted to Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, where she graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Diagnostic Imaging. Ann specialized in ultrasonography for maternal fetal medicine practices and combined her love of babies with her mission in life to help people. Ann literally saved lives by showing mothers- to-be the images of the babies growing in their wombs—the little fingers, nose, and heartbeat.

Ann and Sean met while Sean was in the US Air Force, stationed at McGuire Air Force Base in New Jersey. After three months, they were engaged and they married less than a year later. They were reassigned to Pensacola, Florida, and Ann was in her glory because of her love of the ocean. She loved everything about it and would spend hours listening to the sound of the waves riding onto the shore. Ann became Chief Sonographer at Sacred Heart Hospital—the very same hospital where her oldest son, Ethan, was born.

When Sean joined the DEA, they moved back to New Jersey, where Ann’s younger son, Christian, was born. Ethan finally had a brother and Ann cherished her time with them. Sean’s career then brought them to Texas. Ann was initially skeptical, because she often asked Sean what was in Texas besides cowboys and tumbleweeds. While househunting, Ann and Sean stayed in Southlake Town Center among Ann’s favorite stores—and Ann quickly fell in love with Texas! Ann also made lifelong friends in Texas—just as she had in Florida and New Jersey —she found those women who were as close as sisters to her. She absolutely loved these special friends and they were there to support her throughout life’s many storms.

One of Ann’s greatest loves was to travel with Sean, Ethan, and Christian. Friends often remarked how she was always on the go. She introduced Sean to bed & breakfast hotels, and they sought to find the oldest historical B&Bs they could find to stay in. On their many trips, Sean would always ask Ann if they could visit monuments, museums, and battlefields—Ann always agreed because Sean loved them and she loved him tremendously. In exchange, Sean would take Ann shopping, to the beach, and to flower gardens—because he loved her as much as she loved him. They traveled together across the nation—from Colorado to Florida, from Maine to Las Vegas, from Boston to San Diego. Three of her favorite places in the world were Pensacola Beach, Rocky Mountain National Park, and Acadia National Park—she and Sean loved hiking in nature, where Ann could literally feel God’s presence.

Ann also treasured the little things—butterflies in her garden, the rare hummingbird, her jewelry from Kendra Scott, and poems which Sean wrote to her from the time of their engagement. The poems were quirky, but they always made her laugh. Most of all, Ann treasured her family. She saw Sean’s mom and dad as her mom and dad, and Sean often joked that Ann was their favorite child (which wasn’t exactly true, but it was as Sean wanted it to be). Ann had such a close relationship and friendship with them, and they loved Ann as the daughter they always wanted. Ann and Gretel loved shopping, and they would always come home and give Sean and John the “fashion show.” We’d get to hear what the original price was, followed by the sales price, followed by the actual price after redeeming their ever-present “Kohl’s cash.” It was at times tedious, but Sean is now glad that he sat through every one of those fashion shows.

Ann’s time with us wasn’t long enough, but God’s timing is not our timing, and his thoughts are far above our thoughts. We live in a fallen world, and disease often takes its dreadful toll. But herein lies our hope—that Ann is not gone, but more alive than ever before and we will see Ann again. She now resides for eternity with Jesus, the ONE WHO HAS CONQUERED DEATH, where there is no more disease, no more suffering, no more tears, no more sorrow, and no more pain. Life is like a vapor, and no one knows what tomorrow will bring. Ann knew this and accordingly prioritized living for God above all else. God, family, friends, career—that was the order Ann placed them and she lived her life that way. Jesus is Ann’s shepherd, she knows His voice, and He NEVER LOSES ONE OF HIS PRECIOUS SHEEP . While we battle unimaginable grief, we can take comfort and actual joy in the knowledge that Ann is now in joy eternal, walking with the Lord God Almighty, creator of Heaven and Earth—and most astonishing of all—He calls Ann his daughter, and His daughter now sits peacefully in her Father’s heavenly lap. We can only see this now as through a glass darkly, but one day we will join her in eternal, incomprehensible joy. Ann will be deeply missed by all who love her, but our joy is in the anticipation of the reunion which is to come. You’ve touched so many lives Ann—and we miss you more than language can express. Ann never let Sean say “goodbye” on the phone; she always made him say “see ya” because goodbye sounded permanent. So Ann— we’ll see ya one day soon . We love you.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in Ann's memory to the Cindy Ramsey Resource Center at The MET Church for mental health resources.