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IN REMEMBRANCE OF OUR LATE FELLOW
MOTOR COACH OPERATOR & FRIEND KEITH SHAPPELLE LAWS ...
(Taken from
Home-going celebration program on Thursday, March 20, 2008)
Minister Keith
Shappelle Laws lived a blessed life of 43 years and departed
this life unexpectedly on Monday, March 17, 2008. Keith
was born in Brooklyn, New York on June 18, 1964 to the proud
parents of Pastor David Laws, Sr. and Arnease Williams-Clarke.
He was educated in the New York school system, at Erasmus High
School and Thomas Nelson Community College, Williamsburg,
Virginia, where he majored in music.
Keith was employed at Kings county Hospital in New York and most
recently at Oleta Coach Lines, Inc Williamsburg, Virginia.
Keith was married to Vanessa May 19, 1990 in Norfolk, VA and God
bless their union with a lovely daughter, Chantae', born August
17, 1991.
Keith was an extraordinaire maestro. He was a God given
anointed writer and composer. Most of all Keith was a
praiser and worshipper and loved to have church. He had a
close relationship with his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
His music career began at Institutional Church of God in Christ,
Brooklyn, New York, under the leadership of his grandfather, the
late Chief Apostle Carl E. Williams, Sr., along with his
cousins, Bishop J.C. White, Alfred White, and his father, Bishop
David Laws, Sr, where he also played for the Institutional Raio
Choir, The Expositions and Children's Choir. He also
composed various songs for the choirs. Keith had
established his own band out of Institutional Church. He
played for The F.W. Baptist Church in New York.
Keith appeared in the Broadway Gospel Show, Don't Get God
Started, which also starred Pastor Marvin, BeBe, and Vickie
Winans and Vanessa Bell Armstrong.
Keith wrote Dancing In the
Spirit, which was performed on
the 1988 Grammy telecast by Marvin Winans. This song also
earned him a Grammy nomination. He wrote, We Must
Work, I Made a Promise, performed by the late Ronald
Winans; Make Me Over, performed by Vickie Winans;
Just a Little Talk With Jesus, performed by Pastor Donnie
McClurkin; I Just Came, performed by Stephen Hurd;
Launch Out, The Worshippers, Anything, Latter Rain, and
In the Name of Jesus, all performed by Alvin Slaughter;
We Must Work was inducted into the African-American
Heritage Hymnal.
Keith ministered throughout the United States as well as abroad
in London, France, Germany, Switzerland and Japan.
In 1989 Keith and his family moved to Virginia, where he
continued his music ministry, playing for Pastor Vincent, Bishop
Michael Rogers, Pastor Felton Hawkins, Pastor Craig Young, to
name a few and more recent, Pastor Hawthorne.
Keith was predeceased by his grandfather, Chief Apostle Carl E.
Williams, Sr., his brother, David K. Laws, his father and
mother-in-law Cardie and George Lawrence, and sister-in-law,
Janet Lawrence-Miles.
He leaves to cherish his memories his beloved, wife Vanessa, his
daughter, Chantae' Arnease, his mother, Mrs. Arnease
Williams-Clarke, and step-father Wilfred M. Clarke, his father,
Pastor David Laws, and step-mother Dorothy Laws, one brother,
Wilfred F. Clarke, one sister, Michele Laws and brother-in-law
Bruce Glover, his Grandmother, Mother Elvonia Williams, one
uncle, Bishop Carl E. Williams, Jr., two aunts, Lady Alexis
Williams and Patsy Laws, one Godson, Brian Fitts and a host of
additional aunts, uncles, great-aunts, nieces, nephews, cousins,
relative and friends.
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