CARL LAWTON
NORWICH – Carl William Lawton, most recently of New Canaan and West Hartford, Conn., a retired civil and mechanical engineer from Alstom Power Inc. formerly Combustion Engineering, Windsor, Conn., died after a short illness on June 4, 2011 surrounded by family and friends. He was 92.
Born in Norwich on April 13, 1919, he was the son of the late William John Lawton and Grace (Moore) Lawton. Mr. Lawton graduated from Oxford Academy and Central School, Oxford, and received a BS degree in Civil Engineering from Clarkson College, Potsdam in 1942, and a Masters in Engineering Mechanics form Purdue University, Lafayette, Indiana in 1949.
After graduating from Clarkson College he began a teaching career as Instructor of Civil Engineering at Clarkson College, 1942-1944. During World War II he served with the Pacific Fleet as Seaman First Class, USNR, 1944-1946. After military service he studied and taught as Assist. Professor of Engineering, Purdue University, 1946-1956 where he taught engineering mechanics and a graduate program of Experimental Stress analysis. He also conducted a research program on experimental stress analysis as applied to large artillery weapons for the U.S. Army.
While Senior Engineer in Engineering Mechanics with Combustion Engineering, 1956-1986, he was awarded numerous patents, including among others, Welded Water Wall w/ Large Temperature Differential in Adjacent Tubes, Flexible Butsay System for Utility Boilers. He contributed particularly to nuclear code while active on the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code Committee as well as development design for high temperature nuclear reactors. He was elected to Fellow in the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. In retirement he continued as consultant to ASTM, ASCE and ASM.
In addition to pursuing his profession, Mr. Lawton enjoyed gardening (particularly a large vegetable garden that could feed a whole neighborhood, and did), his flower garden, time with grandchildren, family and friends, cooking up holiday sweets, big band era music, miniature trains, long nature walks and watching birds and wild life.
A former member of Westminster Presbyterian Church, West Hartford and presently of St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, New Canaan, Conn. he also had Memberships and was a Volunteer with Boy Scout Troop 163, Westminster Presbyterian Church, West Hartford, American Society Testing Materials, American Society Civil Engineers, American Society of Metals, and The Metal Properties Council.
Mr. Lawton is survived by three children: his daughter, Lea Cromwell of New Canaan, Conn.; two sons, Dr. Carl W. Lawton Jr. of Chelmsford, Mass. and Gary Lawton of Orlando, Fla.; and four grandchildren, William, Marie, Rheanna and Alexander. He also leaves behind two brothers, William and Robert Lawton of Oxford, sisters-in-law, and many nieces and nephews. Mr. Lawton was predeceased by his wife of 56 years, Rhea Eades Lawton.
A funeral service will be held at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, 111 Oenoke Ridge Road, New Canaan, Conn. on at noon on Sunday, July 3, with a reception to follow.
Memorial donations may be made to St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, with a memo line for the Gospel Garden (a fresh produce resource for the New Canaan Food Bank), 111 Oenoke Ridge, New Canaan, CT 06840.
Hoyt Funeral Home, New Canaan has care of arrangements. Online condolences: hoytfuneralhome.com.