Dee Lavergne Lawson

Dee Lavergne Lawson Lieutenant Commander, Nurse Corps USN, Retired, Dee Lavergne Lawson died at home in her sleep on November 17, 2017, just 3 days shy of her 102nd birthday. Dee to her friends and co-workers, and Vergnie to her family, was born on November 20, 1915 on what is now Houston's west side to Amanda Dee & I.W. Lawson. She spent her growing up years in the old Houston Heights on W. 17th Street where along with her family she attended school and Heights Christian Church. She graduated from Reagan High School in 1934 and entered nursing school, graduating in 1937 as an RN. She was commissioned into the Nurse Corp of the US Navy as Lt. JG on July 2, 1940. Her first tour of duty was in San Diego and from there went to Hawaii following Pearl Harbor. After Hawaii much of her Navy career was in California. When the war ended, she left active duty but remained on active reserve, and returned to Houston where she worked in Houston hospitals as a private duty nurse. At the onset of the Korean Conflict she was recalled to active duty, serving in various Navy hospitals including Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, Corpus Christi, Texas, Orange, Texas, Portsmouth, Virginia, and retired on March 31, 1968, in Key West, Florida as LCDR. During her civilian years the family home was on 12th Street in Houston; after her mother's death in 1961, she, along with her sister Fran and brother Don moved to Sharpstown. It was there that great nieces and nephews came to stay while in college or to enjoy the backyard pool. In the late 1980's Vergnie and Fran moved to Angleton, each buying their own home just blocks apart where they enjoyed the quieter and slower paced community, the proximity to the beach and where they made many friends. Vergnie is predeceased by her parents and her siblings Leland Lawson, Wanda West, Don Lawson, and Frances Lawson. She is survived by 3 nieces, Yvonne (West) Huegel, New Braunfels, TX; Ruanne Kuhlmann and Sharon Gersch both of Houston, and nephew Stan West of Denver Colorado; close friend, caregiver and family member Melinda Nix. A Memorial Service to celebrate her life will be on Monday, December 11 at 10:00 AM, Palms Funeral Home, Angleton, Texas. Visitation will be from 9:00 am until service time. Provide comfort for the family by planting a tree in memory of Dee Lavergne Lawson, please visit our Heartfelt Sympathies Store. Visitation Monday, December 11th, 2017 9:00am - 10:00amService Information Monday, December 11th, 2017 10:00am, Palms Funeral Home 2300 E. Mulberry Angleton, TX 77515