Louise Lawton

Louise Bainbridge Lawton died January 12, 2011 at the age of 98 in the house in Long Ridge where she was born October 3, 1912. She was predeceased by her parents, Erastus and Mary Webster Bainbridge, two sisters, Mary Washington Green and Sue Cammack and two husbands, Morton Hutchinson and William Lawton. Orphaned as children, the three Bainbridge girls were raised by court appointed guardians until, at the age of 18, Louise became the head of the family. She graduated from Owenton High School and Deaconess Hospital School of Nursing in Louisville, KY. After working for a year in Texas, she joined the US Army Nrse Corps and was preparing to be sent to Europe when V-E Day changed her plans. She was sent to Japan with the occupying army commanded by Douglas MacArthur. During the Korean Conflict, she was assigned to a MASH unit and flew wounded soldiers out of Korea. She met her second husband, Bill Lawton, who was the pilot of an evacuation plane, when she went to the cockpit to ask him to fly as low as possible since she had patients who were bleeding. They were married in Owenton in 1951 and were stationed in Japan, Hawaii and California. She resigned her Captain’s commission, since she and her husband could not get assignments in the same place, and went to work as head operating nurse at the VA Hospital in Davis, CA. After retirement, she came back to Owenton to be with her sister, Sue Cammack, and went to work at the Owen County Memorial Hospital where she nursed for several years. Louise has a life long fascination with and dedication to birds and animals. She and her sister Sue took bird watching trips to Kenya, China, Australia and New Zealand, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Peru, Spain and Portugal with her California Audubon group. She always had pets, even when Army regulations said otherwise. At the time of her death, she was adored by two cats, King James and Sputnik. She is survived by three nephews, Bill Cammack of Lexington, Marc Cammack of Cynthiana and Andrew Cammack of Frankfort. The family is eternally grateful to the caretakers who allowed her to stay in her home, Susan Curtis, Vernus Taylor and Gay Martin. McDonald & New Funeral Homes is in charge of arrangements. Family will receive friends at the Main Street location on Thursday, January 20th from 2 - 4pm. Memorial services will follow at 4pm. Memorial contributions are suggested to Owen County Friends of Animals, PO Box 234, Owenton, KY 40359