Petty Officer Lois "The Coast Guard Lady" Bouton Coast Guard legend Lois Corinne Guenette Bouton of Rogers, Arkansas, died on January 29, 2022, at the age of 102. She was born Sept. 21, 1919, in Rochelle, Illinois. She married William Bouton on February 21, 1945. During WWII, Lois enlisted in the Coast Guard Women's Reserve in 1943, known as the "SPARs," the acronym for the Coast Guard's motto, "Semper Paratus, Always Ready." As a radio operator, Lois was assigned to Coast Guard Radio Station Cape May, N.J., later to an air station, and finally to the Coast Guard district office in Philadelphia. She was discharged in November 1945 as a radioman third class, but her love for the Coast Guard continued through the rest of her life. After the war, Lois taught elementary school, mostly first 50 RESERVIST � Issue 1 • 2022 grade classes, for more than 30 years. In 1974, the Boutons moved to Rogers, Arkansas. When traveling over the years, she and her husband visited many Coast Guard units. She wrote over 40,000 letters to members of the Coast Guard community, becoming known as "The Coast Guard Lady." Lois received many illustrious honors from the Coast Guard and the U.S. government, including the Coast Guard Distinguished Public Service Award and the "Spirit of Hope" award presented by the Department of Defense. Her most prized honor was receiving the rank as "honorary master chief petty officer" in 2019, on her 100th birthday. She will be missed by her relatives, her friends, her community, and her Coast Guard family. �
