Obituary of Lawrence Edgar Preston, Jr.

Lawrence Edgar Preston, Jr. was born on August 23, 1950, in Bronx, New York to Connie Jones and Lawrence Preston, Sr. He was educated at Dewitt Clinton High School, Bronx, New York. After high school, Lawrence proudly enlisted in the United States Army. Lawrence was employed at Marlboro State Hospital for many years, was Supervisor of Housekeeping and CWA Representative. Preston retired in 2012 from Trenton, New Jersey Psychiatric Hospital and CWA Local 1040 where he was also a Union Representative. He was loved by the Marlboro and Trenton Psychiatric Hospital employees. In Preston’s earlier marriage to Leutricia Preston-Miller was born to them a beautiful daughter, Lauren Preston. He married again to Linda Burnett and had sons Lawrence Preston, Jr. the 3rd and Chris Burnett. Lauren is truly a daddy’s girl. Later when her dad’s health began to decline, she did not want him to go into a nursing home, so she moved him into her home and took care of her dad until the Lord called him home. Living with his daughter Lauren, he was surrounded by lots of love and joy with his grandchildren Noah and Angie and all their cousins and friends. Lawrence loved his music and he was an avid collector of records and LP’s. He had an extensive library of all kinds of music. Lawrence passed away peacefully on Thursday, August 20, 2020 at home holding his daughter Lauren’s hand. He was never one to meet a stranger. He had a gift of gab and was well known for his joy of life and making everyone laugh. One of his favorite sayings was “you made that up”. He will truly be missed by all who knew him. He was preceded in death by his late wife Linda Burnett and widowed wife Deborah Cole-Preston, brother Lester Preston and his grandparents. Mourning his loss, he leaves to cherish his precious memories, his daughters, Lauren Preston, (fiance Dileep Kumar-Dacha) and Yvette Anderson (son-in-law Reggie Anderson); sons Lawrence Preston Jr 3rd. and Chris Burnett; Siblings Vallejo Clark, Erroll Preston & son ( Erroll Burbridge), Kevin Atkins & son (Ian Atkins) and Cliff Preston, Chris Preston, Dayneen Preston-Caldwell; Linda Preston-Simms, and Tymeco Preston; grandchildren Noah Perry and Angelina Perry, Jasmine Austin, and Kendall Burnett; niece Dana Clark-Thompson (and husband Trevor Thompson) (her children Noah and Noel); brother-in-law Anthony Austin; sisters-in-law Alzeniah Brodie, Janie Moore, Betty Giles, Peggy Austin, Ernestine Keiths, Dorothy Debe, Lisa Savage; and a host of Nieces, Nephews, Brothers-in-law, Sisters-in-law, many Cousins, and co-workers from Marlboro State Hospital, Trenton Psychiatric Hospital, CWA Local 1040 and many, many Friends. The family, wishes to give special thanks to Tywanda Sherry for helping to take care of Preston. Preston’s Memorial Service will be held Saturday, September 5, 2020, from 2-4 PM at Higgins Memorial Home, 20 Center Street, Freehold, New Jersey 07728