Mary Ann Lawson

Her life will be celebrated in the Valley View Chapel of Chattanooga Funeral Home, 7414 Old Lee Highway, Chattanooga, Tennessee on Friday, September 13th, 2024 with visitation at 11:30 a.m. followed by a service at 1:00 p.m. Her family will host a Reception at her residence in Harrison immediately following.

Mary Ann was born in Rockwood, Tennessee after her parents and older siblings moved several years before from Ohio to Tennessee as her father Herman Enoch Heston was employed by the newly formed Tennessee Valley Authority to assist in building Wilson Dam, then Watts Bar Dam, then finally Parksville Dam as an electrical engineer. Her mother Ruth Virginia Howard Heston, and siblings Herman Mahlon (Jack) Heston and Alice Virginia Heston MacDonald all traveled to these “Dam” cities together. They were joined by Marjorie Lee Heston in Rockwood 2 years after Mary Ann’s birth; Mary Ann is survived by Margie, but preceded in death by her parents and other siblings.

Mary Ann graduated from Polk County High School, then from Tennessee Tech University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Education in 1965. She was also preceded in death by her 1st, 2nd, and last husband James Rance Lawson of Cleveland. Two months after college graduation she bore her only child Dr. Tonya Ann Lawson. She is survived by Tonya and her husband Dr. John Kinsler Shaw, as well as her life partner’s children Laura Fulton, Larry Fulton, and his wife Leisa. Ramie Fulton Best and Jesse Fulton considered Mary Ann their Nana, as their grandmother Edna Elaine Fulton was her beloved for 40 + years until she passed away in 2021. Mary Ann and Elaine built a loving and stable family filled with friends and folk for nearly half their lives.

Mrs. Lawson taught 7th grade English at Cleveland Junior High School for 20 years and completed her Master’s in Education from University of Tennessee at Chattanooga in 1974. After she retired from Cleveland Junior High she worked as a counselor and finally for years at McKay’s Bookstore where she befriended many of her favorite people.

Mary Ann is survived by her “Sister Dear” Margie Heston of Mt. Juliet Tennessee. Virtually every photograph in her childhood includes Margie, her erstwhile best friend and playmate, and dedicated caretaker in her final days. She is also survived by nieces Jackie Heston Ellis, Kathleen MacDonald Parent, Ruthie MacDonald Kilmer, and Susan MacDonald Bessler, as well as myriad cousins and dozens of adored friends.

And Sally, her constant furry companion, loyal til the end, a heartbeat at her feet.

Donations to some of Mary Ann’s favorite causes would be greatly appreciated in lieu of flowers or gifts. She was passionate about helping local charities that took care of animals, especially. With that in mind donations can be made in her name to:

Safe Haven Animal Rescue Group (SHARP), a dog and cat rescue in Polk County TN. There is no municipal animal shelter in Polk County, so this group does all it can to address pet homelessness and overpopulation, a constant issue in all of Tennessee.

= SharpRescue.org

Humane Educational Society, a Hamilton County shelter and education organization for assisting pets. = HESChatt.org

Whipporwill Horse Rescue of Tennessee, a horse and dog rescue charity and farm in Polk County. = Whipporwillhorserescueoftn.com