Lawn had a brief career in politics, working for a congressman and the 1968 Eugene McCarthy presidential campaign before entering journalism.

[1][2][3] Her paternal grandfather, Sal Simon Lawn (1884–1969),[4] was a Republican, who served as sergeant-at-arms for the Second Judicial Court and was a veteran of World War I.

In the 2012 New Year Honours, she was appointed an honorary Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit in recognition of her services to New Zealand–United States relations.

[9] Lawn also received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Press Club of New Zealand and had a champion race-horse named after her in that country.

[3] Later that year, whilst reporting on the riots and protests around the 1968 Democratic National Convention, Lawn was beaten by Chicago police officers.

In addition to her husband, she is survived by a brother, Richard Lawn; two sons from her first marriage, Daniel and David Rappaport; and two grandchildren.