BRISTOL — Irene Mae Lawrence, 87 of Bristol, died at 3 a.m. on Jan. 4, 2020, at Porter Hospital.
She was born Sept. 7, 1932, in Oak Bluffs, Martha’s Vineyard, Mass. to Jose (Joseph) H.F. Santos and Caroline F. Burgess Santos.
Irene grew up on Martha’s Vineyard until she became of age. After leaving the island she moved to New Bedford, Mass., and started her  family. She had five children. Irene lived on Cape Cod until her family relocated to Vermont.
She was a longtime resident of Bristol, Vt. She worked at the Kountry Kupboard and Main Street Diner for many years. Irene will be remembered by her community as “The Bench Hugger.” Three seasons out of the year you could find her sitting out front of the Main Street Diner, or most recently at Hatch 31. Irene enjoyed going to the bar on Friday nights to listen to her favorite band and to see the many friends she made, whom she enjoyed spending time with.
Irene is survived by her daughter and son-in-law Roxanne and Michael Bigelow of Addison, Vt.; her son John C. Lawrence of Bristol, Vt.; sister Florine Rogers of Vineyard Haven, Mass.; grandchildren Rhonda Martin, Michelle Kilbreth, Tracey Conway, Rebecca Gero and husband John Gero Sr., and Mikey Kilbreth, Shannon Brown and wife Jessica, Derrick Brown, Chanyiah Lawrence; J. C. Lawrence; Kelsey Lawrence, and Savannah Lawrence; great-grandchildren Mathew (Verno) Karzmarczyk, Cheri (Verno) Karzmarczy, Michael W. L. Kilbreth, Tyler King, Madison King, Danie Kirby, Brandon  Kirby, Kaleb Fushey, Shania Levesque, Adam Lawson, and Kyle Kingsley; and four great-great-grandchildren; Sophia, Jace, Remi and Ezra.
Irene was predeceased by her parents, several of her siblings, and three of her five children; Caroline (Jeanie) Marden, Priscilla Joann Brown, and William (Billy) Joseph Brown; and by one granddaughter, Amy Cruz.
A memorial service will be held on Sunday, Jan. 26, from 1-5 p.m., at American Legion Post 19, Airport Dr., in Bristol.◊