MOLLY LAWSON BIOGRAPHY

Molly Lawson was born in Salt Lake City in 1966 to Dr. Michael and Doris Lawson. She was strong and healthy. Molly moved to Burlington, Vermont at the age of 6 months where, with other supportive mothers and families, she participated in a play group with 7 other Down Syndrome babies and toddlers. She moved to Fort Lewis, WA at age 3, and San Francisco at 4. Both locations had excellent preschools which greatly aided her development. Molly moved to Phoenix, AZ in 1974 where she learned to ride a horse and participated in the Special Olympics in bowling, track, and swimming. She had a top-notch primary education and graduated from North High School at the age of 22. 

Molly has worked in many capacities after graduating. She bussed tables at the Good Samaritan Hospital cafeteria, folded blankets and stuffed pillowcases for America West Airlines, recycled paper for Arizona State University, and distributed fliers to homes throughout the Phoenix area. At Scottsdale Training and Rehabilitation Services (STARS) she worked for Cox Communications cleaning and recycling remote control devices. She was an actor with the Detour Theatre Company and loved to sing and dance. She enjoyed cooking and participating in the STARS “Drawn Together” program doing group art. She participated in many fashion shows to the benefit of STARS. She liked to go to restaurants and loved spaghetti and salad and Diet Coke.

Molly lived in group homes until she moved in with her friends and caregivers, Eunice and Arturo Maldonado near us in Phoenix. Toward the end of her life she moved with the Maldonados to Chino Valley. She lived with her parents in Phoenix the last three years of her life. Molly passed away on Sunday August 4, 2024 from the effects of Alzheimer’s disease.