Lindel Lawrence
1938 – 2024
Groveland, Florida

On February 23, 2024, Lindel Lawrence (affectionately known as “Larry”) ended his battle with cancer and passed away peacefully in the home of his beloved family in Groveland, Florida. At the time of his passing, his hands were held, and he was surrounded by love and prayer.

Larry was born on February 12, 1938, to Ruth Johnson and Eustace Lawrence in Duncans Trelawny, Jamaica, West Indies. After his education at Duncan’s Primary School, Larry apprenticed with Uncle Sammy in Warsop, who taught him carpentry. There, he learned to build furniture and constructed a chair for his mother said to be unbreakable. He took this work ethic to Mandeville, where he secured his first job at Dr. Lannan’s dry cleaners, operating the ironing machine. He took pride in this position and learned to iron shirts perfectly, a skill that would become a marker of his fashion for years to come. He saved his earnings and moved to Kingston, where he worked for Newbell Dry Cleaning while taking labor relations classes at the University of the West Indies. He was then and has always been diligent, courteous, charismatic, a man of the people, and an orator. With these characteristics, he was ushered into the position of union representative for the Trade Union Congress of Jamaica (TUC). There, he represented Jamaica internationally and gained notoriety. He became affiliated with Jamaica’s greats, such as Rex Nettleford, Hopeton Caven, and former Prime Ministers PJ Patterson and Portia Simpson Miller. Ever a believer in education, Larry continued his studies at The University of Birmingham and subsequently caught the attention of Cornell University (CU) after moving to the United States in 1969. He was offered a scholarship to attend Cornell’s School of Industrial and Labor Relations and completed his studies in 1974. He was the first to attend an Ivy League institution in his family but not the last, as he blazed the trail for his daughter and grandson, who would follow in his footsteps decades later.

Beyond education, his move to The United States gave rise to several life-changing opportunities. He met and married his love, Erma Scott, in 1972, and started a family. He became a real estate agent and found his

niche, which led to a lifetime of real estate investments. He started with multifamily properties in Brooklyn and moved on to Silver Creek, where he took bare land purchased in Cardiff Hall, Jamaica, and transformed it into a boutique resort with multiple villas spread across acres. Larry loved Silver Creek as it was more than a hotel to him. It was also a home for family gatherings including the wedding ceremony of his oldest daughter and the christening of his youngest granddaughter. In the years to come, more deals were made in Jamaica, New York, and Florida. Though a recognized businessman, Larry was never boastful and never too proud to do manual labor at his properties himself.

Despite business and family commitments, Larry made time to give back to the community. He held office in the Boys and Girls Club in Brooklyn in the 80s and 90s and received accolades for his work. He became an active member of Lenox Road Baptist Church and Gregory Park Baptist Church in Jamaica and sang in both choirs. He was giving and kind.

In his last months, he maintained the character that served him well. It was not unusual to visit him in the hospital and see him surrounded by nurses as he told stories from his homeland, nor was it unusual for him to make light of his circumstances, once noting that “they are shining up a golden chariot for me,” in reference to a stretcher brought to transport him from one hospital room to the next. As his health declined, he was noted as “nonverbal” by doctors, yet he was able to offer a very clear greeting of “Good Morning” or “Good Afternoon” when visited by medical staff. He was gracious and grateful to the family and staff who cared for him in his last days.

Larry had family and friends abound. He is survived by his wife, Erma Lawrence, by his siblings, Beryl Johnson, Claudia McKinney, Leslie Wint, Lewin Wint, Hugo Wint, Canute Wint, and Olga Johnson; his children, numerous grandchildren, extended family members, and friends across the world. He will be sorely missed.

Video of funeral service
https://www.youtube.com/live/az9WQU8Cgr0?si=3ByKeYGX8lSyvXUD