Abell Hooton

**Abell Hooton**, 91, of Versailles passed away at 5:15pm on Sunday April 19, 2015 at Ripley Crossing in Milan. He was born near Cross Plains on November 12, 1923 the son of Dr. Lora and Edith Gullion Hooton. He was married to Elizabeth Lemon on May 25, 1946 and she preceded him in death on December 23, 2006. Survivors include two daughters Reta (Brad) Gray of Zionsville, and Alana (Bill) Thompson of Washington; three grandchildren John (Don) Thompson of Alexandria, Virginia, Jill (Kevin) Baker of Indianapolis, and Joel (Emily) Thompson of Washington; 6 great-grandchildren; one sister Isabel Richmond of Versailles; also brother-in-law James (Pat) Lemon of Batesville. He was also preceded in death by his parents, his sister Leah Ricketts, and brothers Troy, Quenton, Damon, Roland, and Elvan Hooton. Mr. Hooton was a 1942 graduate of Cross Plains High School and was a member of the school's only sectional championship team in 1942. He graduated from Illinois College in Jacksonville, Illinois and received his Master's Degree in Education from Indiana University. Mr. Hooton had taught school in the Aurora, Cross Plains, and South Ripley school systems, retiring in 1985. He was an Army veteran of WWII, having been drafted upon his high school graduation. He served with the 42nd Infantry Division, also known as the Rainbow Division, in the Rhineland and Central Europe. On April 29, 1945 Mr. Hooton participated in the liberation of 30,000 inmates at Dachau, a Nazi concentration camp ten miles northwest of Munich in the state of Bavaria in southern Germany. There had been 32,000 documented casualties within the walls of Dachau. He described the big steel gates of the prison with the swastika emblem above the entrance. He also told of the 39 boxcars of bodies that the Nazis could not cremate because of running out of fuel and recalled years of terrible nightmares after his wartime experiences. The passed through Munich on April 30 and ended its campaign by crossing the Austrian border north of Salzburg. In spite of the horrors and destruction he witnessed, Mr. Hooton recalled with pride his service with the Rainbow Division. In the 1990's he and his wife traveled back to Europe to visit the many places where Mr. Hooton had served. For his service Mr. Hooton received the American Theatre Ribbon, Good Conduct Medal, WWII Victory Medal, and the European Theatre Ribbon with 2 Bronze Stars. He had also worked as a civilian gunner at the Jefferson Proving Ground. Mr. Hooton was a member of the Versailles Baptist Church, Versailles Masonic Lodge, and the Ripley County Retired Teachers. He was also a life member and past commander of the Versailles American Legion, a life member of the Milan VFW, and was a past Chef De Gare for the Ripley County Voiture 40 & 8. Mr. Hooton was the organizer for several years for the Ripley-Tri-County all-star basketball game and was a member of the first class of the Ripley County Basketball Hall of Fame inductees. Funeral services will be held on Thursday, April 23 at 10:30am at the Versailles Baptist Church with Mr. Hooton's nephew Rev. Rand Hooton officiating. Burial will be in the Benham Cemetery with military graveside rites by the Versailles American Legion. Visitation will be on Wednesday from 5pm to 8pm at the Stratton-Karsteter Funeral Home in Versailles and from 9:30am until time of services at the church. Memorials may be given to the 40 & 8 nursing scholarship in care of the funeral home.