Roll Call Tribute
William "Bill" Lewis Sr. '52 September 5, 2017 10:08 AM updated: September 5, 2017 10:10 AM
Hawkins Funeral Home obituary
405 E. Main Street
Decatur, TX 76234
Tel: 1-940-627-5959
Dr. W.M. "Bill" Lewis
November 27, 1926 ~ August 23, 2017 (age 90)
Dr. W.M. "Bill" Lewis Sr. 90 passed Wednesday, August 23, 2017.
Funeral is 11:00 a.m. Saturday, August 26, 2017 at First Baptist Church of Decatur with burial in Paradise Cemetery. Family will receive friends 6-8 p.m. Friday at Hawkins Funeral Home in Decatur.
Dr. David Lowrie and Assistant Stephen Wren will officiate. Pallbearers include Dr. Don Waller, Dr. Jeff Harrison, Carl Fennel, Jonathan Fennel, Jeff Bakker, Bobby Wilson, Wayne Alexander and Joey Greene.
He was born November 27, 1926 to Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Ezell Lewis of Wortham, Texas, Navarro County.
Soon after his birth the family moved back to Kosse, Texas, Limestone County and lived in the Mustang Prairie community. In 1980 he married Valeria Cleveland Lewis. He proudly served his country by volunteering at the age of 17 in the United States Air Corps. He served 12 months in the Aleution Islands on the island of Adak, Alaska as a communications officer. Before he enlisted in the Air Corps he attended NTAC at Arlington, Texas for 2 years. After he was discharged from the Air Corps he attended Hardin Simmons University at Abilene, Texas. He enrolled in Texas A&M University in the fall of 1948 and was graduated from the School of Veterinary Medicine in 1952. He practiced his first year in Coushatta, Louisiana and then moved to Decatur and developed a busy veterinary practice until he retired July 1985. While at Texas A&M he accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as his personal savior. He taught Sunday school for over 65 years and served as usher and has been a member of First Baptist Church since 1953 and was an active member of the construction committee of the new church building in Decatur. Prior to his retirement from veterinary medicine he purchased a 450 acre farm at Denton Creek cleared the land of briars and trees planted coastal grass and started farming and raising cattle there as well as his farm at Sand Hill. He owned several farms, improved them and saved them as well as purchasing a farm jointly with his sons at Mt Zion community and farmed and raised cattle and horses there. He was a member of TVMA, AVMA, and served as chairman of Wise County Appraisal District for 10 years and served as the Chaplin for the Sons of Confederate Veterans for many years as well as a member of the Board Trustees Decatur School District for many years. In 1984 he and Val served in Brazil a short term as missionaries. In 1990 he served in Pakistan and in 1991 he went to Afghanistan and was captured for 6 months and held for ransom.
He was preceded in death by his parents; his brother, Elmer Lewis and his sisters, Alma Wells, Faye Rhine, Eloise Hansford.
He is survived by his wife Val of Decatur; Bill Jr. and life partner Amy Gilmour of San Antonio, Bob Lewis of Alvord and Derrick and Linda Lewis of Conroe, Texas; three step children, Marcy Hudson and husband Bob of Runaway Bay, Leslie Oates and wife Denise of Paradise and Dana Pomerance and husband Norm of Denton, 12 grandchildren, Carrli; and Eric Woodard, Micah and Gary Powell, Cody Lewis, Cassi and Derek Hilliard, Jade Garner, Jacob and Jansyn Lewis, John Lewis, Blake Lewis, Meredith and Cha Quach, Tiffany and Rob Gonzales; Stetson and Leslie (aka Minnie Me) Oates, Gracie Oates and 13 great grandchildren; nieces, nephews and a host of friends.
Hawkins Funeral Home Decatur
Decatur, Texas, 940-627-5959
www.hawkinsfuneralhome.com
405 E. Main Street
Decatur, TX 76234
Tel: 1-940-627-5959
Dr. W.M. "Bill" Lewis
November 27, 1926 ~ August 23, 2017 (age 90)
Dr. W.M. "Bill" Lewis Sr. 90 passed Wednesday, August 23, 2017.
Funeral is 11:00 a.m. Saturday, August 26, 2017 at First Baptist Church of Decatur with burial in Paradise Cemetery. Family will receive friends 6-8 p.m. Friday at Hawkins Funeral Home in Decatur.
Dr. David Lowrie and Assistant Stephen Wren will officiate. Pallbearers include Dr. Don Waller, Dr. Jeff Harrison, Carl Fennel, Jonathan Fennel, Jeff Bakker, Bobby Wilson, Wayne Alexander and Joey Greene.
He was born November 27, 1926 to Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Ezell Lewis of Wortham, Texas, Navarro County.
Soon after his birth the family moved back to Kosse, Texas, Limestone County and lived in the Mustang Prairie community. In 1980 he married Valeria Cleveland Lewis. He proudly served his country by volunteering at the age of 17 in the United States Air Corps. He served 12 months in the Aleution Islands on the island of Adak, Alaska as a communications officer. Before he enlisted in the Air Corps he attended NTAC at Arlington, Texas for 2 years. After he was discharged from the Air Corps he attended Hardin Simmons University at Abilene, Texas. He enrolled in Texas A&M University in the fall of 1948 and was graduated from the School of Veterinary Medicine in 1952. He practiced his first year in Coushatta, Louisiana and then moved to Decatur and developed a busy veterinary practice until he retired July 1985. While at Texas A&M he accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as his personal savior. He taught Sunday school for over 65 years and served as usher and has been a member of First Baptist Church since 1953 and was an active member of the construction committee of the new church building in Decatur. Prior to his retirement from veterinary medicine he purchased a 450 acre farm at Denton Creek cleared the land of briars and trees planted coastal grass and started farming and raising cattle there as well as his farm at Sand Hill. He owned several farms, improved them and saved them as well as purchasing a farm jointly with his sons at Mt Zion community and farmed and raised cattle and horses there. He was a member of TVMA, AVMA, and served as chairman of Wise County Appraisal District for 10 years and served as the Chaplin for the Sons of Confederate Veterans for many years as well as a member of the Board Trustees Decatur School District for many years. In 1984 he and Val served in Brazil a short term as missionaries. In 1990 he served in Pakistan and in 1991 he went to Afghanistan and was captured for 6 months and held for ransom.
He was preceded in death by his parents; his brother, Elmer Lewis and his sisters, Alma Wells, Faye Rhine, Eloise Hansford.
He is survived by his wife Val of Decatur; Bill Jr. and life partner Amy Gilmour of San Antonio, Bob Lewis of Alvord and Derrick and Linda Lewis of Conroe, Texas; three step children, Marcy Hudson and husband Bob of Runaway Bay, Leslie Oates and wife Denise of Paradise and Dana Pomerance and husband Norm of Denton, 12 grandchildren, Carrli; and Eric Woodard, Micah and Gary Powell, Cody Lewis, Cassi and Derek Hilliard, Jade Garner, Jacob and Jansyn Lewis, John Lewis, Blake Lewis, Meredith and Cha Quach, Tiffany and Rob Gonzales; Stetson and Leslie (aka Minnie Me) Oates, Gracie Oates and 13 great grandchildren; nieces, nephews and a host of friends.
Hawkins Funeral Home Decatur
Decatur, Texas, 940-627-5959
www.hawkinsfuneralhome.com
505 George Bush Drive
College Station, TX 77840
(979) 845-7514
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