Obituary of Sally M. Lawson

Sally Marie Lawson January 6, 1957-July 6, 2020 Sally Marie Lawson was born in Jamestown, New York on January 6, 1957, daughter of Augusta Thorman Dracup and Emmett Bernard Lawson. She found joy in many outdoor activities and was also an avid reader. She grew up in the area of Driftwood on Chautauqua Lake and attended the Bemus Point and Maple Grove schools. After high school, she went on to attend college at Columbia University, Michigan State University, and Paul Smith's college of the Adirondacks, graduating with a degree in forestry. She served for a time as a park ranger in New York City's famous Central Park, but eventually returned to Chautauqua county where she initially assisted with the Cassadaga Job Corps. In 1986 she married Ron Peterson and lived on a small farm in the town of Napoli. She gardened extensively with perennials and native plants and kept livestock including horses, goats, poultry and rabbits. She took great pride in her care of plants and animals, which carried on throughout her lifetime. She also returned to college, earning a teaching certificate from Fredonia State and then served as a substitute for several local school districts. Sally loved to travel and went abroad to Europe as well as copious adventures within the states. She was highly passionate about geology and would often incorporate "rockhounding" into her trips. Her interest in rocks and gemstones eventually led her into a job in sales in an area jewelry store. Sally served her community as a literacy volunteer through the Chautauqua-Cattaraugus library system and was active with the Fredonia Friends Quaker meeting for a time. In her final years, she returned to the Bemus Point area and pursued her love of animals on a larger farm. She is survived by her brother, Bruce Lawson, his wife, Cindy Lawson, nieces Erika Frick and Amanda Lombardi, nephew Shae Heberling, and her ex-husband, Ron Peterson. We hope that in her passing, she is reunited with her sister Ann Lawson. She also had many friends and deep connections within the community for which the family is grateful. She is remembered and celebrated through her adventurous spirit, generosity, admiration of the natural world, and her unmatched, unfiltered sense of humor. In spite of the difficulties and challenges life threw at her, she was able to reach the hearts of many through these. The family appreciates those who have reached out during this difficult time and are currently working on the arrangements for a service.