Jean C. Lawson

Jean C. Lawson, 84, of Mason City, died Monday, August 12, 2013, at the Muse Norris Hospice Inpatient Unit in Mason City. Memorial services will be held at 2:00 PM on Saturday, August 17, 2013, at St. John’s Episcopal Church, 120 1st Street N.E., with Michael Erhard and Barbara McCaulley officiating. Inurnment will be in the St. John’s Episcopal Church Columbarium. Memorials may be directed to the Jean C. Lawson memorial fund in care of the family. Online condolences may be left for the family at www.majorericksonfuneralhome.com Jean was born October 9, 1928, in Mason City, the second child of Dr. Gerald W. and Julia (Bryant) Cady. A talented pianist and musician, Jean graduated from Mason City High School in 1946 and attended Iowa State Teachers College (University of Northern Iowa) on a music scholarship, where she studied with the eminent pianist, Henry Harris, graduating in 1949. After receiving her Masters of Music from the Eastman School of Music in 1952, she was one of the first Fulbright Scholars to go to Germany after World War II, studying with Carl Seemann at the Hochschule für Musik in Freiburg. She was also proud to have studied piano with the two most famous American female pedagogues of the immediate postwar era: Rosina Lhevinne and Cecile Genhart. After teaching at Southeastern Louisiana State University, Louisiana State University, Iowa State University and the Interlochen Summer Arts Camp, in 1959, she married Murray C. Lawson, son of Millard and Joyce (Berkin) Lawson in the First Methodist Church, Mason City. To this union there were two children, Mark and Julia. In addition to being a full-time mother and homemaker, Jean was one of Mason City's foremost piano teachers and from 1980 to 1995 taught piano at North Iowa Area Community College. For thirty years, she was the primary accompanist for the members of the Mason City High School Symphonic Band participating in the State Solo and Ensemble Contests. She also performed as piano soloist with the Baton Rouge Symphony, the Mason City High School Orchestra, the Mason City Symphonic Band and the North Iowa Concert Band. For many years, Jean accompanied the soloists at the MacNider Art Museum's Christmas Concerts and was the piano accompanist at many of the concerts that preceded the North Iowa Band Festival at the First Congregational Church. Her last performance there was a concert of duets performed in 2004 with her son, Mark. Jean was also the Grand Marshall of the North Iowa Band Festival in 1995. A dedicated episcopalian, she was choir director and organist at St. John's Episcopal Church from 1975 to 1995. Jean was a member of PEO, Daughters of the American Revolution, Phoenicians, and Matinee Musicale. She was also an ardent fan and supporter of the Minnesota Orchestra and the Des Moines Metro Opera. With Murray, she travelled the world over, and loved nothing more than the winters they spent together in Pompano Beach, Florida. And nothing made her more proud than the lives and accomplishments of her children, Julia and Mark. Jean is survived by her son: Mark Lawson of Munich, Germany; Julia Jugovich and her husband Timothy of South St. Paul, MN; and three grandchildren: Joseph Lawson Jugovich, Jessica Cady Jugovich, and Timothy James Jugovich Junior-all of South St. Paul. She was preceded in death by her husband, Murray C. Lawson; parents and her brothers: Dr. Gerald W. Cady and Patrick A. Cady.

Cemetery:
Inurnment will be in the St. John’s Episcopal Church Columbarium.

Memorials may be directed to the Jean C. Lawson memorial fund in care of the family.

Visitation:
Upon her wishes she will be cremated and there will be no visitation.

Service:
Memorial services will be held at 2:00 PM on Saturday, August 17, 2013, at St. John’s Episcopal Church, 120 1st Street N.E., with Rev. Michael Erhard and Barbara McCaulley officiating.