Funeral services will be at 12:00 p.m. on Friday, August 23, 2019 at Debo Funeral Home in Fulton. The family will receive guests from 10:00 a.m. until the time of the service at the funeral home. Burial will be at Grace United Methodist Church Cemetery in Jamestown, Missouri with graveside services at 3:30 p.m.
Lou was born on June 20, 1926 in Advance, Missouri to Lou H. and Lily Stephens Lewis.
He was a 1947 graduate of Bloomfield Missouri High School. During his junior year he was drafted into the Navy and served from December 9, 1944 – April 19, 1946. He was a radio Seaman 1st Class. After his discharge he returned to Bloomfield , Missouri to finish high school. He ranked Number One in his graduating class but since he was gone for almost two years, he was named the Salutorian.
Lou was married to Betty Pettigrew of Jamestown, Missouri on August 3, 1952 in Columbia, Missouri and she survives him.
He is also survived by a daughter, Sonya (Mervyn) Willoughby of Fortson, Georgia and son, Douglas (Loretta) Lewis of Fulton; three grandchildren, Mark, Leanne and Sam; three step-grandchildren, Levi, Dylan and Taylor; three step-great-grandsons, Tristan, Jax and Jase.
He was preceded in death by his parents, four brothers and four sisters.
Lou received his BS in Education from the University of Missouri in 1951, MEd from the University of Missouri and further work toward his PhD . He was a member of Phi Delta Kappa,an academic honorary association.
Lou taught Social Studies and Speech at Bolivar Missouri High School from 1951-53 and was the Superintendent of Schools at Paris, Missouri from 1954-58. While at Paris, he was the Noble Grand of the Independence Order of the Odd Fellows. He supervised the consolidation for the sixteen rural districts into the Paris School System.
Lou was Director of Admissions at Christian College, now Columbia College from 1958-62 and the Superintendent of Fulton Public School from 1962-81.
Lou managed Fulton Rotary Little League baseball team, worked with the Boy Scouts, and Chaired the United Fund drive in 1971. He served as the President of the Fulton Rotary Club and was an active member of Court Street United Methodist Church where he served on the finance and building fund for seven years. Lou was on the Fulton City Council and was appointed to serve out Tom Maupin’s term and then elected in the next election.
He was a member of the Northeast Missouri Administrators Association where he served as President, the Missouri State Teachers Association, the Missouri Association of School Administrators and the American Association of School Administrators.
Lou was awarded the Honorary Doctor of Laws Degree from William Woods University in 1981 and given the Fulton Sun McCubbin award for extraordinary service to the Fulton Community in 1981. He was a charter member of the Board of Association of Fulton Colleges and was President for one year. He was awarded the Pioneer in Education in 1987 and was presented the Outstanding Education Award. He was the first Superintendent ever to receive the award which was selected by his fellow Superintendents across the State of Missouri.
He was selected by the students at William Woods University as the “Outstanding Educator” in 1981 and he was an Adjunct Professor at William Woods University.
Lou and the Fulton Board of Education purchased a seventy six acre site on Highway 54 North in 1963. The first phase, a Junior High School for grades 7th and 8th was constructed and completed in 1967. The second phase, the high school was constructed and completed on February 1, 1980.
After Lou retired from being the Superintendent of Fulton Public School, he worked part time for Debo Funeral Home and the Pearce Architecture Firm in St. Louis as an Educational Consultant and he was the President of T. I. F. for several years.
Memorial gifts may be made to the Court Street United Methodist Church or the Fulton Schools foundation or Missouri Veteran’s Home in Mexico, Missouri all in care of Debo Funeral Home, 833 Court Street, Fulton, Missouri 65251.
online condolences may be made at www.debofuneralhome.com
