Mildred Laws, also known as “Gappy,” was employed in the customer service field.

Laws died May 17, 2012. She was 58.

She was born April 14, 1954, in Belgrade, Fla., to the late Henry Laws and Mildred Leftwich.

Laws was educated in the Philadelphia public school system.

She worked for several companies including Spiegel, Inc., Insurance Company of North America and as a manager at Brad Allen Bookstores, Inc.

According to her family, Laws’ passion in life was babysitting her nieces and nephews. Her affectionate nurturing continued into the next generation of great nieces and nephews. Her gentle spirit and motherly touch enriched their lives through the early years into adulthood.

Her family said “Aunt Gappy” could always be counted on for laughter, guidance and firm advice when needed.

She was the youngest of her siblings and she enjoyed that position as she was always protected.

Laws and her sisters’ relationship were overwhelmingly strong and positive. Together, the sisters could weather any storm and uniting their individual strengths together for the betterment of the family.

Laws enjoyed reading, music, a challenging game of Pinochle and Bid Whiz, television shows, traveling and a family game of Pokeno. She was a homemaker and shared her life with Clifton Hankins.

She would brighten up the room when she arrived and you could count on continued entertainment, her family said.

She was preceded in death by the following family members, Wyatt, James, Henry, Vivian, Rashan, Elizabeth and Maybell.

Laws is survived by her sisters, Christine Jankans, Gloria, Carol (Nancy), Basiymah, Jessie, Barbara, Mary, Martha, Cassandra and Doris; brothers, Kenneth, Nathaniel, Dudley, Randall, Michael, Anthony, Robert, James, Henry Jr., Henry Sr. and other relatives and friends.

Services were held May 25 at Mitchum-Wilson Funeral Home. Burial was in Merion Memorial Park, Bala Cynwyd.