Nancy (Smith) Laws, aged 90, beloved matriarch of our family, passed away on May 15, 2025, after of lifetime of service to her family, community, and those she loved. She was born on March 7, 1935, in Chattanooga, TN to Zelma Smith and was raised there along with her siblings, Belle, Jean and Jim.
At 18, as was customary of the time, Nancy began writing letters in support of the troops. As chance would have it, her best friend gave her the name of an airman named Ray Laws, and the rest was history. After corresponding for some time, Nancy met and fell in love with Ray. They married in 1953 and had nine children while traveling the world to include Germany, Canada, Maine, Virginia, New York, Michigan, Iowa and Alaska in support of the United States Air Force.
Nancy loved babies, her country, her family and most of all Jesus. She was a devout Chirstian who was a member of and regularly attended Portersville Baptist Church. She read the bible in its entirety once a year throughout her life. After raising her children, she also helped raise many of her grandchildren, some of whom have cherished childhood memories of summers spent with their grandparents and cousins, filled with their grandmother’s good food and unconditional love.
Nancy is survived by seven of her nine children and their spouses:
Ramona (Laws) Wright and Daniel Wright, Michael Laws, Martha (Laws) Leverett and Steven Leverett, Karl Laws and Pam Laws, Karen Laws, Robert Laws and Claudette Laws, James Laws and Lora Laws, and Inye Laws.
She is survived by twenty-two grandchildren and their families:
Diego Candia, Eva Candia, Stephanie Carreker, Gabrielle Laws, Jacob Laws
Joshua Laws, Patrick Leverett, Christopher Leverett, Matthew Leverett
Tyler Leverett, Ashley Laws, Andrew Laws, Malachi Laws, Kristin Capps, Erik Capps, David Laws,
Sunshine Mize, James Laws, Robert Laws, Terrah Ford, Robert Laws, and Nancy Laws.
She is survived by twenty-five great-grandchildren and one great-great grandchild: Eli Carreker, Rachel Carreker, Addilynn Cordova, Adrian Cordova, Amelia Cordova, Evelyn Brown, Cecilia Brown, Sawyer Laws, Cadan Leverett, Alyssa Leverett, Matthew Leverett, Scarlett Leverett, Jessica Leverett, Heallee Davis, Maya Benjamin, Jaxson Benjamin, Alex Capps, Jacob Laws, Jordon Laws, Kamryn Laws,
Olivia Laws, Landon Laws, Amiah Laws, Emma Laws, Alexandra Clapper and Alora Clapper.
She is preceded in death by her loving husband Ray H. Laws and her mother Zelma Smith as well as her children, Ray H. Laws, Jr. and Alice Laws, and grandchild Jessica Leverett and great-grandchild Michelle Walker whom we are assured all met her and walked her the rest of the way home.
Services for Nancy A. Laws will be held at Portersville Baptist Church,
38 Co Rd 83, Collinsville, AL 35961 on Saturday, May 24, 2025, from
12:00 -1:00p.m. with the burial immediately following at Mt. Vernon Cemetery.
Wilson Funeral Home and Crematory of Fort Payne is in charge of arrangements
