A celebration of life for Mrs. Gennise Marie Strickland Lawler, 69, of Lithonia, Georgia will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, November 26, 2022, at First Missionary Baptist Church, Munford, Alabama. Pastor Nathaniel Ashley will deliver the eulogy. The final resting place of Mrs. Lawler will be in the Lawler Cemetery, Talladega, Alabama. She will lie in state at the church one hour prior to the service. Visitation will be from 1-7 p.m. on Friday, November 25, 2022 at the funeral home.

The Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee. (Numbers 6:25)

The Lord was gracious and blessed Willie James Strickland and Olivia Louise Bryant Strickland with a baby girl on the eve of the day that the world celebrates the birth of Jesus the Christ. It was on the 24th day of December in the year of our Lord 1952 in Jefferson County, Alabama that Gennise Marie Strickland, Gennise meaning “God is gracious”, became one of the greatest if not the greatest Christmas gift received by the Strickland family.

In the earlier years of Gennise’s life, the Strickland family relocated to the metro Detroit area. During this time, she had established her relationship with God. She found church homes in Michigan and Georgia, but made her final place of worship First Missionary Baptist Church in Munford, Alabama under the leadership of her brother-in-law, Pastor Nathaniel Ashley. Gennise received her educational foundation in the Detroit City Schools and graduated from Cooley High School. The knowledge and experiences gained assisted her in her professional careers with Southwest Airlines, Comerica Bank, Greyhound Lines, Inc. and HQLM Vision Center. Amid life’s blessings and challenges, Gennise found love and on May 10, 1975, she gave her hand in marriage to Elisha C. Lawler. The couple celebrated a little over 44 years of marriage before his passing in 2019.

Gennise left behind to mourn her loss: two sons, Isaac Lawler of Lithonia, Georgia and Lasteveius Lawler of Sacramento, California; one daughter, Gwen (Quinton) Payne of Birmingham, Alabama; her father, Willie James Strickland; eight grandchildren, Darlene, Corey, Jr., Isaac, Jr., Simone, Shavon, Raevy’n, Jaey’n and Isaiah; one great grandchild, Justin; six sisters-in-law, Sandy Strickland of Georgia, Mary Hall, Dorothy Lawler, Rosa (Reverend Nathaniel) Ashley and Lutisha Turner of Talladega, Alabama and Glenda Dykes of McDonough, Georgia; six brothers-in-law, Johnny C. (Rosie Nell) Lawler of Talladega, Alabama, Earl (Audrey) Lawler of Mableton, Georgia, Arthur (Barbara) Lawler of Anniston, Alabama, Jeremiah Lawler of Atlanta, Georgia, Harry (Lorraine) Lawler of Talladega, Alabama and Steve (Malaine) Pope of Millerville, Alabama; and a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

To those that she loved and for those that loved her, she is now resting in heavenly peace with her husband, Elisha C. Lawler and their son, Corey Denard Lawler; her mother, Olivia L. Strickland and her brother, Willie James Strickland, Jr.