ABC13 mourns the loss of Melanie Lawson's mother

Tom Abrahams gives us an inside look at the remarkable life of Audrey Lawson

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- We have lost an extended member of the Eyewitness News family. Audrey Lawson, community activist, founding first Lady of Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church, and the mother of our beloved colleague Melanie Lawson, died Saturday morning.

Audrey Lawson, mother of our own Melanie Lawson, and wife of legendary Houston Pastor Bill Lawson, died today following a brief illness.none

She and her husband, the Reverend Bill Lawson, founded the church with just 13 members in 1962 created so students at TSU could have a place to worship. The congregation now serves more than 5,000 members.
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Lawson was the creator of countless community education and outreach programs that touched the lives of thousands of young Houstonians over the last half century. She was, perhaps most importantly, the proud doting mother of four children; three girls and boy.

And as Melanie has described her, "She was the strongest woman you've ever know."

Audrey Lawson was 83 years old.