Phyllis Elaine Lewis

Phyllis Elaine Winfield Lewis was born in Elyria, Ohio to Mildred Mae Femley and Wallace Waldo Winfield Sr. on March 22,1922. She had one older brother Wallace Jr. Her childhood included helping with the family business: Winfield’s Famous BBQ – Gas Station and Tourist Camp. After graduation in 1939 she received a letter with thirty-six dollars, from her brother, requesting her to come West to work as a cook at a cow camp in Gateway, Colorado. Adventure called and soon she purchased an eleven-dollar bus ticket from Ohio to Denver, intimidated by the grandeur of the Continental Divide she decided to buy the five-dollar train ticket to transverse the large mountain, arriving at Grand Junction, CO January 1, 1940. A few days later she took the Gateway stage to her destination. In Gateway she met Jake Wilbur Lewis, a local miner / rancher. They married, a couple years later, on August 31, 1942 in Aztec, NM. They homesteaded on The LaSal Mountain where they had three of their four children, Jacque (Harold) Stafford, Anne (Dick) Miller, Jerry (Virgie) Lewis and Lana (Eric) Mourning was born after they moved to Grand Junction. Missing the mountains, Jake and Phyllis soon bought property on Pinion Mesa in 1954. Jake passed away in 1960, leaving Phyllis to finish raising the kids, and to take care of the ranch, which she sacrificially did, for the past sixty-five years, with the help of her family. The ranch became a place of solace for the family after Jake’s death.

Phyllis, at the age of 103, passed peacefully July 9, 2025, with family by her side. She leaves a legacy of 125 descendants, 4 -children, 16 - grandchildren, 41- great-grand-children 29- great-great -grandchildren including 31- spouses. Remember by each, for her faithful birthday cards, as long as she was able! Phyllis, a true ‘Pioneer Woman’ would ride horse back from the homestead to Gateway for mail and groceries, since there were no roads yet. Jake put Phyllis on an unbroke horse, which would be able to break through the deep crusted snow, when she was close to delivery. The horse reared once, hitting her face and breaking her glasses. Yet, determined, she kept going. Her desire to stand firm and not be bullied often got her labelled, feisty’. With her dedication to family, we were surprised to find in her ‘empty nest’ years that she was an amazing Polka Dancer, attending many of Frankie Yankovitch’s Events, including a polka Cruise to Jamaca.

Phyllis was a member of First Baptist Church. She often called those caring for her “Angels”.

She was preceded in death by her husband Jake, her parents and brother, sons in laws Harold Stafford and Dick Miller.

Memorial Services will be held August 1, 2025, 10 am. at Clifton Christian Church 3241 F ¼ Rd., Clifton, CO, with burial in Memorial Gardens. A Family Dinner will be at Clifton Christian Church, following the burial.