Mary Lawson , a resident of Christian Health Care in Nixa, a former Army nurse and great-grandmother, recently added a pageant title to her biography when she took first runner-up in the Ms. Nursing Home Pageant.
Wendy Iyler, activities director at the facility, described Lawson as "a wonderful lady and friend." A resident since November 2008, Lawson was picked by the employees to represent the home at the pageant. There were about 20 contestants. "She accepted the idea right away," Iyler said. Lawson was happy for the accolade, Iyler said, but didn't feel she deserved it. "She had the crown and sash, flowers ... and it was announced over the intercom when she returned home. She was princess for a day," Iyler said. "It completely exhausted her, but was a wonderful experience for us both."
Lawson has shared hundreds of stories with staff about her years as a registered nurse aboard an Army ship, Iyler said.
On stage at the June 8 pageant, Lawson said she still has the urge sometimes to go out in the hall when a light goes on over a door, just to see if they need a bedpan or if there is something she can do to help them.
"I went to R.N. school ... I went overseas to be a nurse on a hospital ship called the 'Marygold,' " said Lawson. "That's where I was able to do all of my traveling."
She's been to many cities and places like Normandy, Italy, the Philippines, Japan, Africa, New Guinea and Pompeii.
New Guinea was one of the most peaceful places she has ever been, she said. "There was a villager standing outside to greet us. He had on a banana skirt, waving a spear ... tiki garden houses made out of the earth ... little kids running around naked, happy as a clam." A person could live there and be very content if they didn't need many things, she said.
Mary Lawson has been on hospice for about two years and is really having a rough week, Iyler said.
"Having her story in the paper will cheer her up and make her feel better."
Her favorite activities include the live entertainment, social events, bingo, all the animals that come in to visit residents and, especially, books on tape.
"One of the things I wanted to do before I die was to pet a llama, so they brought one right in my room," Lawson said in an interview before the pageant.
She also loves Iyler's dog -- a Shar-Pei named Clyde.
"His nose feels just like a horse," she said. "With all his wrinkles, he looks like most of the people that call this place home."
Lawson, who was born and raised on a 500-acre farm near Sedalia, said she had "a wonderful childhood with ponies, farming and swimming in the pool my father built so we would have what the city kids had."
She and James Lawson, who were married 23 years, had two sons. She has four grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. [rc]
Copyright ©2009 Springfield News-Leader
July 7, 2009
USA: 91-year-old great-grandmother 'princess for a day'
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SPRINGFIELD, Missouri / News-Leader.com / July 7, 2009
By Donna Baxter
Entering her 10th decade of life, Nixa resident Mary Lawson has another accomplishment to add to her biography. The former Army nurse was named first runner-up in the Ms. Nursing Home Pageant held recently in Springfield.
"It was kind of strange that I'm 91 years old and it's the first time I've ever been a contestant in a beauty pageant," said Lawson, who lives at Christian Health Care in Nixa.
Mary Lawson , a resident of Christian Health Care in Nixa, a former Army nurse and great-grandmother, recently added a pageant title to her biography when she took first runner-up in the Ms. Nursing Home Pageant.
Wendy Iyler, activities director at the facility, described Lawson as "a wonderful lady and friend." A resident since November 2008, Lawson was picked by the employees to represent the home at the pageant. There were about 20 contestants. "She accepted the idea right away," Iyler said. Lawson was happy for the accolade, Iyler said, but didn't feel she deserved it. "She had the crown and sash, flowers ... and it was announced over the intercom when she returned home. She was princess for a day," Iyler said. "It completely exhausted her, but was a wonderful experience for us both."
Lawson has shared hundreds of stories with staff about her years as a registered nurse aboard an Army ship, Iyler said.
On stage at the June 8 pageant, Lawson said she still has the urge sometimes to go out in the hall when a light goes on over a door, just to see if they need a bedpan or if there is something she can do to help them.
"I went to R.N. school ... I went overseas to be a nurse on a hospital ship called the 'Marygold,' " said Lawson. "That's where I was able to do all of my traveling."
She's been to many cities and places like Normandy, Italy, the Philippines, Japan, Africa, New Guinea and Pompeii.
New Guinea was one of the most peaceful places she has ever been, she said. "There was a villager standing outside to greet us. He had on a banana skirt, waving a spear ... tiki garden houses made out of the earth ... little kids running around naked, happy as a clam." A person could live there and be very content if they didn't need many things, she said.
Mary Lawson has been on hospice for about two years and is really having a rough week, Iyler said.
"Having her story in the paper will cheer her up and make her feel better."
Her favorite activities include the live entertainment, social events, bingo, all the animals that come in to visit residents and, especially, books on tape.
"One of the things I wanted to do before I die was to pet a llama, so they brought one right in my room," Lawson said in an interview before the pageant.
She also loves Iyler's dog -- a Shar-Pei named Clyde.
"His nose feels just like a horse," she said. "With all his wrinkles, he looks like most of the people that call this place home."
Lawson, who was born and raised on a 500-acre farm near Sedalia, said she had "a wonderful childhood with ponies, farming and swimming in the pool my father built so we would have what the city kids had."
She and James Lawson, who were married 23 years, had two sons. She has four grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. [rc]
Copyright ©2009 Springfield News-Leader
Mary Lawson , a resident of Christian Health Care in Nixa, a former Army nurse and great-grandmother, recently added a pageant title to her biography when she took first runner-up in the Ms. Nursing Home Pageant.
Wendy Iyler, activities director at the facility, described Lawson as "a wonderful lady and friend." A resident since November 2008, Lawson was picked by the employees to represent the home at the pageant. There were about 20 contestants. "She accepted the idea right away," Iyler said. Lawson was happy for the accolade, Iyler said, but didn't feel she deserved it. "She had the crown and sash, flowers ... and it was announced over the intercom when she returned home. She was princess for a day," Iyler said. "It completely exhausted her, but was a wonderful experience for us both."
Lawson has shared hundreds of stories with staff about her years as a registered nurse aboard an Army ship, Iyler said.
On stage at the June 8 pageant, Lawson said she still has the urge sometimes to go out in the hall when a light goes on over a door, just to see if they need a bedpan or if there is something she can do to help them.
"I went to R.N. school ... I went overseas to be a nurse on a hospital ship called the 'Marygold,' " said Lawson. "That's where I was able to do all of my traveling."
She's been to many cities and places like Normandy, Italy, the Philippines, Japan, Africa, New Guinea and Pompeii.
New Guinea was one of the most peaceful places she has ever been, she said. "There was a villager standing outside to greet us. He had on a banana skirt, waving a spear ... tiki garden houses made out of the earth ... little kids running around naked, happy as a clam." A person could live there and be very content if they didn't need many things, she said.
Mary Lawson has been on hospice for about two years and is really having a rough week, Iyler said.
"Having her story in the paper will cheer her up and make her feel better."
Her favorite activities include the live entertainment, social events, bingo, all the animals that come in to visit residents and, especially, books on tape.
"One of the things I wanted to do before I die was to pet a llama, so they brought one right in my room," Lawson said in an interview before the pageant.
She also loves Iyler's dog -- a Shar-Pei named Clyde.
"His nose feels just like a horse," she said. "With all his wrinkles, he looks like most of the people that call this place home."
Lawson, who was born and raised on a 500-acre farm near Sedalia, said she had "a wonderful childhood with ponies, farming and swimming in the pool my father built so we would have what the city kids had."
She and James Lawson, who were married 23 years, had two sons. She has four grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. [rc]
Copyright ©2009 Springfield News-Leader
