‘CITIZEN OF THE YEAR’

PALMER — At the Palmer Pride Picnic last month, 98-year-old Pat Lawton was granted a key to the city.

Every year, Mayor DeLena Johnson names a Citizen of the Year, presenting the award recipient with a certificate and a golden key about 8 inches long for their Palmer pride and contribution to the community.

This year, she selected Lawton, who also happens to be the Frontiersman’s longest consecutive subscriber.

“She’s been here forever … she’s extremely encouraging,” Johnson said, at the picnic. “She always makes you feel like she’s happy to see you and she wants the best for you.”

Lawton was not present at the picnic, but said in an interview at her home last week that she usually is, and certainly would have been had she known she would be recognized.

“It was really a surprise,” she said.

However, as evidenced by the knowing “ohs” after the picnic announcement, many in the community saw Lawton as an apt choice for Citizen of the Year.

Michigan to Matanuska

Pat Lawton moved to Palmer at age 29 from Michigan in 1947 with her husband, Lloyd Lawton, and two young children. Inspired by an article in what was then Alaska Sportsman Magazine, Lloyd Lawton had made a trip to Fairbanks that June, and returned to Alaska in October to build a life for his family there.

Pat Lawton said the plan had been to arrive with the kids the following May, but found herself on a plane north just a month or two later, in the dead of winter.

“I wanted to be where he was,” she said.

Prior to her arrival, Lawton said she expected to be living in a tent, eating nothing but rabbit every day, but neither of those things came to fruition.

In fact, there wasn’t even any snow on the ground when they landed in Palmer, she said.

The following spring, Lawton went to work on Sherrod farm, near where the elementary school of the same name now stands. She worked for MEA in the late 1940s, and after a few years off to raise her third child, went to work for the Bureau of Reclamation on the Eklutna tunnel project in the 1950s. In 1963, Lawton started working for MTA, which she retired from 16 years later.

One thing that struck her about her new home, and still does, she said, is the friendly people.

“That’s what I’ve always found, people are so friendly,” Lawton said.

Living life

Post-retirement, Lawton was anything but idle. She joined a bowling team, attended community meetings, remained a regular at United Protestant Presbyterian Church, volunteered at Swanson and Sherrod elementary schools — where she now has great grandchildren, just down the street from her house — and was actively involved with the local boy and girl scout troops.

Until recently, she was also an avid fairgoer — attending every day of the Alaska State Fair every year — and a volunteer at the local Pioneers Home six days a week.

Nowadays, Lawton spends most of her time doing crosswords and light yard work, hanging out with her son, who lives right next door, and her grandchildren and great grandchildren. Her first great-great grandchild also came into the world this year.

Lawton said she’s received numerous recognitions recently, which she found rather amusing.

“I don’t know why I’ve been getting all these honors because I’m a taker anymore, and I used to be a doer,” she said. “Now I just sit on the couch and pull dandelions, take care of kids.”

Lawton was also puzzled by her long life, given the passing of her seven siblings, some of whom were younger than her at the time of their death.

“I don’t know why I’m here ... but I guess (God) is giving me time to shape up. Or do some good,” she said.

Her advice to young people, she said, has to do with following one’s heart.

“Be yourself, be friendly and always do the right thing,” she said. “That’s what I tried to do.”

Contact reporter Caitlin Skvorc at 352-2266 or caitlin.skvorc@frontiersman.com.