Melissa Neisler Lawrence, 63, of Kings Mountain, North Carolina, passed away on Friday, September 27th while selflessly assisting her neighbors during Hurricane Helene.

Born on March 8, 1961, in Gaston County, she was the third child of Joe and Marlene Neisler. Melissa graduated from Gaston Day School in 1979 and earned a bachelor's degree from Meredith College in 1983. Her summers were always spent at Lake Waccamaw, NC, where her love for the outdoors flourished. Melissa was passionate about her many hobbies. She loved fishing, water skiing, swimming and was a Master Beekeeper as well as an avid crafter. She loved to sew and worked as a Retail Supervisor at Carolina Cotton Company, where she prided herself in customer service. Melissa was a North Carolina Debutante, worked at the Child Advocacy Center and was a former business owner of Travel Matters Inc. She served as Vice President of Neisler Brothers Inc. and was on the board of the Kings Mountain Historical Museum. A lifelong member of the First Presbyterian Church, Melissa sang in the choir, helped with the children's program and served as an Elder. She never met a stranger, was free spirited and a best friend to all. She was very passionate about life, and you never had to guess where she stood on an issue. Melissa took pride in creating natural healing remedies and finding beauty in God's creation everywhere.
Melissa was preceded in death by her parents, Joseph Andrew Neisler Jr. and Martha Marlene Hedrick Neisler, as well as her husband, Williams Darwin Lawrence Jr. She is survived by her siblings, Stella Putnam (Gerald), Rick Neisler (Kim), and Theresa McKeithan (Garry), and her three beloved children: William Lawrence III (Danae), Marlin Lawrence Scott (Sean), and Joseph Lawrence (Brooke). Melissa was also a proud grandmother to four grandchildren: Eli, Elyse, Melia, and Morgan, who affectionately called her "Honey." She is also survived by numerous cousins, nieces, nephews, her dear friends--whom she lovingly called her "tribe"--and her beloved dog, Lager.
FUNERAL SERVICE: Saturday, October 5, 2024 at 3:00 PM at First Presbyterian Church, Kings Mountain, NC with Reverend Brad Jones officiating

VISITATION: Saturday, October 5, 2024 from 1:30 PM to 2:50 PM prior to the service down stairs at First Presbyterian Church, Kings Mountain, NC

INTERMENT: Mountain Rest Cemetery, Kings Mountain, NC

Donations in Melissa's memory may be made to the Western North Carolina Assistance Fund at https://pay.payitgov.com/ncdonations