MONTEGO BAY, St James — A thanksgiving service for the life of former People’s National Party (PNP) councillor for the Welcome Hall division, Horace Lawrence, will be held this Saturday at the St Johns Methodist Church on Humber Avenue here.

His body will later be interred at Dovecot of St James, in Orange.

Lawrence died on February 25 in the Cornwall Regional Hospital after a long battle with prostate cancer. He was 74.

Lawrence was elected as the councillor for the Welcome Hall division in the 2003 local government elections.

He, however, failed to gain a second term in office in the 2007 elections, as he was defeated by the Jamaica Labour Party’s Roger Dowe.

Chairman of the St James Parish Council, Charles Sinclair described Lawrence as “a balanced and objective councillor who, at all times, represented his division and even the wider parish to the best of his abilities.”

“His contribution at meetings was always valuable and fair, and he will be greatly missed,” added Sinclair.

A farmer by profession, the former councillor was a member of the All Island Jamaica Cane Farmers Association and was integrally involved in the All Island Banana Growers Association and the Coffee Industry Board.

PNP vice-president Derrick Kellier told the Observer West that the late councillor will be sadly missed.

“He served very well during his tenure in office. He was a very meticulous man; well organised and was well respected by his fellow colleagues in the council because of how he approached his duties there,” Kellier said.

Lawrence is survived by his wife Greta, sons Horace Jnr and Shane, daughter Marcia, grandchildren, among other relatives and friends.

– Mark Cummings