Cicely Laws Anderson

Cicely Anne Laws Anderson April 30, 1924 to August 3, 2018 Cicely Anne Laws Anderson passed away Friday, August 3, 2018, in Tampa, Florida. Cis was born in North Wilkesboro, NC, on April 30, 1924 to the late Shafter Robert and Addie Humphries Laws. She was also preceded in death by her brother, S. Robert Laws, Jr.; her husband, Clarence Leonidas Anderson, MD; granddaughter, Kathy Witherspoon; and her great-grandson, Taylor Anderson. She is survived by her sister, Martha Laws Bohrer, Pocatello, ID; her children, Beth Witherspoon (Ross), Anne McKnight (Richard), Lonnie, and Bobby (Cindy); grandchildren Lynne Witherspoon, Rick McKnight, Megan McKnight (Cody Williams), Laurel McKnight (Justin Hugelen-Padin), Josh Anderson (partner Haydy Rojas), Emily Carbone (Anthony), Kelly Harrington (Phil), Drew Anderson (Jillian), Robert Anderson (Bethany), Chris Anderson (Melissa), and Cooper Anderson (fiance Amelia Mullis); great- grandchildren, Bowen McKnight, Henry Hugelen, Auggie Carbone, Theo Carbone, Brewster Harrington, Walker Anderson, Cicely Anderson, Chloe Anderson and Hunter Anderson. She is also survived by her goddaughter, Wendy Allen (Doug). Cis grew up in the mountains of North Carolina during the Depression in the community of Moravian Falls. She had a close relationship with her grandfather, R. Don Laws, who was the publisher of the “Yellow Jacket” and her biggest cheerleader and mentor while growing up. She finished high school at Appalachian High School less than a week before she turned 16. She liked to say she finished high school, which was the 11th grade at the time, at 15. She attended Mars Hill Junior College and then Duke University nursing school, graduating with a BSRN. It was at Duke University that she met Clarence in the operating room. They were married the same day she received her RN and he graduated from medical school. Clarence was commissioned into the U. S. Army that same day. They moved to Hartford, CT, for Clarence’s internship, and Cis worked as a nurse. On completing his internship, Clarence had to fulfill his commitment to the Army. Cis and Clarence lived in Ft. Dix, NY, Ft. Bragg, NC, and Ft. Benning, GA. Cis loved the military life, but Clarence wanted to return to his beloved Florida. After finishing his residency in Atlanta, they moved to Lakeland in 1952. Cis lived in Lakeland until she moved to a retirement facility in Tampa in 2010. Cis made many friends throughout her life and stayed in touch with them. The friends that she and Clarence made during their time at Duke and while in the Army were friends who remained important to them both throughout their lives. They traveled together, visited each other, kept up with each other’s children, and wrote each other often. She had a group of friends with whom she played bridge for 50 years, long after most of them could see the cards or remember them if they could see them. She was a lifelong, dedicated reader of all varieties of books. She loved listening to music, show tunes and classical, but definitely not rock and roll. Cis grew up a Baptist but became a Presbyterian when she and Clarence married. She became the very best of Presbyterian Women, active in the church life, the Women of the Church, and volunteering up until she was well into her eighties. She also became a real Floridian, driving a boat, water skiing, and collecting shells, Cis was a member of the Junior League of Lakeland, the Antique Club, the garden club, PEO Sisterhood, First Presbyterian Church of Lakeland, and affiliated with Forest Hills Presbyterian Church in Tampa. Cis was active in the PTA and led the effort to start a kindergarten at Lime Street Elementary school. She went back to nursing, helping in Clarence’s office the year before he retired from practice. Whatever she decided to do, she always did her best, including taking care of both of her parents and keeping Clarence at home during his struggles with Alzheimer's disease. Most of all, she loved her family, and her family loved her. She will be greatly missed by family and friends. The family thanks her caregivers at the Inn in Tampa, Gretel and Charlie; Wendy, the Director of Nursing at the Inn; her Hospice nurse Carla; and LifePath Hospice for the loving care they gave Cis this last year. Donations may be made to First Presbyterian Church Lakeland, 175 Lake Hollingsworth Drive, Lakeland, FL 33801; Forest Hills Presbyterian Church Tampa, 709 West Linebaugh Avenue, Tampa, FL 33612; LifePath Hospice Tampa, 12470 Telecom Drive, Tampa, FL 33637; or Mars Hill University, Office of Institutional Advancement, P.O. Box 6792, Mars Hill, NC 28754. Services at First Presbyterian Church of Lakeland will be Saturday, August 18, 2018, at 2:00 pm. Visitation will be Friday, August 17, 2018, from 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm at Heath Funeral Chapel, 328 South Ingraham Avenue, Lakeland, FL 33801.