Laniere Gurley Gresham (dubbed 'Mimi' by her grandchildren) was a force of nature. She was a terrific dancer and loved, singing, writing, yoga and especially laughing. Laniere was born in the little town of Airline, Georgia on February 1, 1933. While in high school in Suffolk, Virginia, (where she excelled in modern dance) she also worked as a legal secretary. She attended Longwood College, where she majored in English. In October of 1954 she married Paul Granville Gresham. A strong and loving mother and grandmother, she welcomed all of her children and their children's friends into her home with a spirit of curiosity and always an expectation of fun. She was a great reader and patron of the local libraries and shared that love with her children and grandchildren. She loved nature and watching and sharing nature and science documentaries. As our neighborhood psychologist, she was able to draw life stories out of almost every person she met and to listen with an open heart. Always the caretaker, she took care of her own mother and mother in law and several other infirm relatives and friends. As her children left home, she began to write poetry and was published in several newspapers literary journals and anthologies, was a featured reader at many venues in Newport News, Williamsburg and James City County. She won second place in the Christopher Newport University Writing Contest in 1996.   She belonged to the Williamsburg Poetry Guild and the Poetry Society of Virginia. Laniere Gurley Gresham died at midnight, November 12, 2016, in Oakland California at midnight, during a full moon. She was a deeply loved wife, mother, grandmother and had rich friendships with many. She leaves behind her beloved children Kathryn Gresham Lancaster, Robin Gresham Chin, and David Gresham, their spouses, five exceptional grandchildren, and many lovely friends. Her memorial service will be held at 3:00 P.M. on Saturday, December 10th at the R. Hayden Smith Funeral Home located on 245 S. Armistead Avenue, Hampton, VA. Visitation will take place at the funeral home prior to the service from 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to the ACLU in her honor.