Laura Eugenia Crawford Carlson, 78, of Crawfordville, Fla., passed away Wednesday, January 14, 2015 at Tallahassee Memorial Hospital.
The funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, January 17, 2015 at Calvary Baptist Church with Pastor Kent Nottingham officiating. Interment will follow at Roselawn Memory Gardens.
The family received friends from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. on Friday, January 16, 2015 at Ivey Funeral Home. Online visitors may sign the guest register at www.iveyfuneral.com.
Laura was born August 25, 1936 in Bainbridge, the daughter of John Harvey Crawford and Manassa Griffin Crawford. Known as Genie by everyone who knew her through her many years working at the Western Sizzlin’ Steakhouse in Tallahassee, her tremendously generous nature and nurturing spirit made her the favorite waitress of her patrons. Laura Jean was how she was known by her Sprint/Centel co-workers and friends where she retired from in 1998, but the most important titles were how she was known to her family as Sister, Mother, Grandma, and Great-Grandma. She was loved by everyone she encountered and our earthly loss is Heaven’s blessing.
Beloved family matriarch, she is survived by her daughters, Carol Carlson, Kim Mathews (Mike), and Teresa McCann (Frank), all of Crawfordville; her sons, Ed Carlson of Havana, Fla., and Ray Carlson (Kathleen) of Tallahassee; her eight grandchildren, Shannon Carlson, Richard Carlson (Bre), Michael Mathews, Stephanie Carlson, Keaton Purvines (Paige), Matt Carlson, Kyle Howard, and Jennifer Miller (Justin); her great-grandchildren, Laura Jane Carlson, Sarah Carlson, Jonathan Carlson, Caitlin Carlson, Taylor Carlson, Jace Carlson, Kowen Purvines, Makenly Purvines, Jacob Miller, and Jacelyn Miller; her sisters, Dorothy O’Neill of Bainbridge, and Carolyn Stringer (Bob) of Irving, Texas; and her brother, Harvey Crawford (Judy) of Oakhill, Fla.. She will be missed by numerous extended family members.
Ivey Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.