Obituary of Lawrence Alston

Lawrence Alston was born on June 19, 1950 in Louisburg, North Carolina to Charlotte Alston and Jesse Alston, who both preceded him in death. He departed this life peacefully in the comfort of his home on Sunday, April 11, 2021, surrounded by his family and loved ones. Lawrence along with his parents and siblings, moved to Baltimore, Maryland in 1954 and began a new life, in a new town, with new possibilities. He met and married Iris Alston and settled down in East Baltimore with his family. He was educated in the Baltimore City Public School System and graduated from Paul Laurence Dunbar High School in 1969. He attended Coppin State University, where he studied photography and enjoyed taking pictures of his family and friends. He was hired by General Motors after he graduated from high school and was a hard worker. Lawrence remained employed there for 33 years until he happily retired in 2003. Also, he was the proud owner of the infamous LA Joy Lite Moving and Hauling for many years and his saying was, "for a fair fare, I'll go anywhere." He had a true entrepreneurial spirit. LA, as he was affectionately known, was well-known throughout East Baltimore. He was caring and had a smile that you would never forget. He was a sharp dresser and could tell you anything you wanted to know about the 60's and he enjoyed listening to some of his favorite rock bands, from the Rolling Stones to Led Zeppelin. LA was an amazing storyteller and would listen attentively to your problems or concerns and in a way that only he could and would tell you a story that would seem to give you a new perspective about what was bothering you. At the end of the story, he would ask, "Now what do you think about that?" He enjoyed watching movies, the older the better and was notorious for quoting movie lines verbatim. LA was a family man and drove his family down 95 south many times for his wife to enjoy her family. He always made his family feel that they were most important to him and that he was available to them and for them 24/7. He leaves to cherish his memories and celebrate his legacy, his wife of 45 years, Iris "Shorty" Alston, loving daughter, Felecia Veale-Buckson, three sons, Taji Alston, Kai Alston and Tamir Alston, grandsons, Brandon, Julius, Kyle, Kain-Lan, and Ali, one granddaughter, Taylor (TDA), one son-in-law, Otis Buckson Jr, four sisters, Margaret Lewis, Charlene Alston, Tina O'Neil, and Diane Thomas, one brother, Jimmy Alston, sisters-in-law, Muriel Alston, Daphne Lee, Michelle Dean, Teressa Cherry, Tracey Riddick-Veale, Marie Veale, and Lisa Veale, brothers-in-law, Norris Veale, Dennis Veale, Thomas Veale, Andre Cherry, and John Dean, mother-in-law Penary Veale, and a host of aunts, nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends. Lawrence had four siblings who preceded him in death, Thurman Alston, Lula Alston, Daniel Alston, and Carolyn Williams.