Oleta Coach Lines
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.