Lawrence was the only grandson of James Henry Mathis to have the Mathis name.

When we were children at family gatherings at Grandpa's house the conversation was often about family.  Caring about and for 'kinfolk' was a cornerstone of life for Grandpa.  This was also true of Lawrence.  Always interested in history, in the 1970s he became especially interested in collecting and recording family history and soon became the person everyone went to for information.  He thoroughly enjoyed getting to know distant cousins and sharing information.  He supported community projects and served on the Board to oversee the care and maintenance of Smith Cemetery for several years.  Lawrence was a good neighbor who liked to share the harvest from his garden and  orchard.  After his death the comment was made to me "He was a man of goodwill."  He truly was --

Virginia Mathis Tipton