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Melissa Lee Hardwick Lawless, 70, passed away late Tuesday night, December 15, 2020 at UNC-Rockingham Health Care in Eden. 

A funeral service will be held at 11 AM on Monday, December 21, at Fair Funeral Home Chapel with burial to follow in Mountain View Cemetery in Ridgeway, VA.  She will lie in repose on Sunday from 1 – 6 PM at Fair Funeral Home for those wishing to come by to pay their respects. The service will be live streamed on FaceBook for those unable to attend.

Born October 9, 1950 in Abilene, Texas, Melissa was the daughter of the late Chubbie Lee Hardwick and Bobbie Lou Morgan Hardwick.  She attended Roby High School until her senior year and graduated from Wylie High School in 1969.  Melissa had a real gift for working with special needs children.  While still living in Texas she worked for Abilene State School and after moving to Virginia, worked as a Teacher’s Aide for Henry County School system with the special needs children there.  Melissa was a member of First Baptist Church of Ridgeway and was very active in her church.  In her spare time she enjoyed reading and most of all, spending time with her family.

She is survived by her husband, Lonnie E. Lawless of the home; three sons, Joel Lawless of Alpharetta, GA, Matt Lawless of Collinsville, VA and Kaleb Lawless (Samantha) of Fort Bragg, NC; three grandchildren, Elijah, Ethan and Arya; sisters, Vanessa Zientek (Lou) of Abilene, TX, and Nerissa Hardwick of Dallas, TX; two brothers, John Freeman Hardwick of Dallas, TX and Wenzal Hardwick of Aubrey, TX; and numerous nieces and nephews.

For those unable to attend the funeral the service will be live streamed and found at facebook.com/fairfuneralhome

Online condolences may be offered to the family at www.fairfuneralhome.com