William E. Lewis

He was born in Union County, Arkansas on July 16, 1921, to Will D. Lewis and Katie Lee Colvin Lewis. He married Agnes Belle Penney of Daytona Beach, Florida on their third date on April 2, 1943, and their marriage lasted 66 years until her death on February 20, 2009.

During his childhood his family lived on a farm in the Shiloh community in southwestern Union County. He attended school there through the 8th grade before transferring to Parkers Chapel where he graduated in 1939. He joined the Army Air Corps on August 30, 1940, at Barksdale Field, Bossier City, Louisiana. After basic training at Barksdale, he was assigned to Communications Squadron #3 and received an advanced training at bases in four states. He served as an airfield control tower operator in Georgia and Florida throughout the war and received an honorable discharge on September 8, 1945, with the rank of Sargent.

Following the military, he worked for 14 years for the U.S. Postal Service in Daytona Beach, Florida, the Panama Canal Zone and El Dorado. He next joined Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 706 in El Dorado and worked as a pipefitter for several years. After a successful run for the office of Business Agent of Local 706, he retired in that position in 1985.

Prior to his retirement, he raised cattle. After getting out of the cattle business, he raised quail and several varieties of bantam chickens. Dogs were his lifelong companions. As a devoted deer hunter, he always had a pack of deer hounds and in later years a pack of beagles. He also enjoyed squirrel hunting and spent many happy hours with his prized squirrel dog, Khaki.

He was a member of Pleasant Grove United Methodist Church, the Wesson/Newell Water Board and the Wesson Masonic Lodge as well as a past member of the Union County Cattlemen’s Association and served on the Union County Quorum Court.

Bill was one of those larger-than-life characters with a unique ability to relate to and communicate with people of all ages and generations. He had a phenomenal memory for people, places, events and dates that belied his 91 years. He loved his family and will be greatly missed.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife; his brothers, Paul, Roy and Charles Lewis; and sisters, Nan Lewis, Maxine McAllister, Lettie Grace McKinnon, and Annis Snider.

Survivors include his son and daughter-in-law, William C. and Meredith E. Lewis of Junction City, his granddaughter, Marisa C. Lewis of Lenexa, Kansas; and his beloved great-niece and caregiver, Rhonda Swilley of Junction City. Also surviving him are numerous nieces and nephews, great-nieces and nephews, great-great nieces and nephews and great-great-great nieces and nephews as well as many friends.

The family wishes to express our deepest appreciation for the compassionate and excellent care given him during the final months of his life by the staff of Hudson Nursing Home.

A memorial service will be at 2:00 p.m. Thursday, May 9, at Pleasant Grove United Methodist Church on Haynesville Highway. Visitation will be at the church at 1:00 p.m. prior to the service. Burial will follow in Pleasant Grove Cemetery under the direction of Young’s Funeral Directors of El Dorado.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be given to the Pleasant Grove Cemetery Fund, c/o Mary McKinnon, 6604 Wesson Rd., Junction City, AR 71749.