Lawrence L. Knowles

Mr. Lawrence L. Knowles, 55, of Clarksville, Tennessee, died Thursday, Jan. 15, 2015, at Kindred Hospital in Nashville.

He was born in Blytheville, the son of Mell and Lillie Holloway Knowles Sr. He was a graduate of Blytheville High School. As a child, he was a member of New Bethel Baptist Church and later New Jerusalem Baptist Church. He was also a member of Concorde Missionary Baptist Church in Clarksville.

He served in the U.S. Army from 1981-1998. His extraordinary military career allowed him to travel around the United States and abroad; namely, South Carolina, Kentucky, Texas, Panama, Korea and Germany.

He was employed by the United States Postal System. Lawrence was a Mason, a member of the Organization of Freemasonry, Lodge #105 M.W. Prince Hall Grand Lodge, F. & A.M. of Kansas.

His parents, brother Elder Troy Jones; and sisters Gloria Knowles, Thelma Knowles and Dorothy Knowles, all preceded him in death.

Survivors are his loving wife of 33 years, Mrs. Irma Jeannie Knowles of the home;

One daughter, Mrs. Cetriss (David) Webb of Biloxi, Mississippi;

Two sons, Terrance (Whitnee) Knowles of Jonesboro and Lawrence Knowles Jr. of Clarksville;

Rodregus Patton of Conway and Billy Furlow of Jonesboro, who he reared as his own;

Two grandsons, William Waits of Shreveport, Louisiana, and Tyreese Knowles of Jonesboro;

Three granddaughters, Teareny, Taylor and Tarryn Knowles, all of Jonesboro;

Three great-grandchildren, Landyn Waits, Airreyona Waits and Jaiden Waits, all of Shreveport;

Two sisters, Carolyn Knowles of Blytheville and Roberta Wright of Bowling Green, Kentucky;

Three brothers, the Rev. Richard C. (Mildred) Clark of Grand Rapids, Michigan, Odell (Bobbie) Knowles of Huntsville, Alabama, and Mell (Kendra) Knowles Jr. of Dallas;

His mother-in-law, Frankie Patton; and

Aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins and other relatives.

The family will receive visitors from 5-7 p.m. Friday at First Missionary Baptist Church, 600 McHaney Drive.

Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at First Missionary Baptist Church, the Rev. Odale Jones, pastor. Burial will follow at Gethsemane Gardens in Blytheville by McDonald-Horne Funeral Home.