Gene Meredith Lewis' Obituary
Our Beloved Husband, Father, Grandfather, Uncle, Cousin and friend, Gene Meredith Lewis, passed away on November 1, 2018 in Plano, TX. He died peacefully at home with his wife Billie and his children at his side. Gene would have been 93 years old in December.Gene was born on a wheat farm in Hunter, Oklahoma on December 28, 1925 and loved the simple life with his parents Victor and Lillian Lewis; and with his older sister Myrth Lewis Semke who he adored.Gene was an active child who loved playing with his dog King and dancing and singing at the top of his lungs until his parents paid him the attention and love that he sought and embraced all of his life. Many of his younger days were spent with his cousin Ted Lewis who he loved and admired. Gene loved helping his father with chores around the farm but soon wanted badly to get out of his little town and see the world. He graduated from Tulsa Central High School in 1943, playing football, baseball and basketball and enjoyed a very active social life.In 1943 Gene enlisted in the Navy V-12 Officers Training Program and studied to become a Navy pilot. The war ended in 1945 before Gene could be deployed overseas and he celebrated VJ Day with his close friends and the rest of the country in San Francisco, CA.In 1946 Gene enrolled at Oklahoma University in Norman and pledged Phi Gamma Delta Fraternity. He thrived there and made many life long friends including his best friend John Harrison who would later become Gene’s best man. Gene and John were the Fraternity entertainers and loved to write skits and sing together at social events. Gene graduated from OU in with a degree in Business Administration in 1948.He was hired immediately right out of school and went to work for Montgomery Ward in their Retail Management trainee program. Gene moved up the ladder quickly, receiving multiple promotions and taking jobs in Oklahoma, Kansas and Missouri at various Montgomery Ward stores.Gene met his future wife Billie June Morrison, a Korean War widow with a 4 year old son in 1954 on a blind date arranged by his sister, Myrth. A long distance romance ensued and Gene and Billie fell in love and married on September 18, 1955. Gene adopted Billie’s son, Joe Fash Morrison Lewis and the family lived happily together in Kansas City, Kansas.The family grew larger quickly as Andrew was born in 1956, Jon in 1958 and Jane in 1960. The kids were raised in Kansas City, MO and the family enjoyed a blissful life at Lake Waukomis in Platte County, a northern suburb of Kansas City. Gene and Billie were very active at Hillside Christian Church, where Gene served as an Elder, sang in the choir and served as Master of Ceremonies for almost every church social event.Gene was also very active in the local Republican party in Platte County, MO and was instrumental in the election of many political candidates.The friends that Gene and Billie made in Kansas City were friends for life and they enjoyed many trips together with the group to Hot Springs, Arkansas and on canoe and rafting trips.Gene’s successful career continued, and he was promoted again by Wards – this time to Metropolitan District Manager of Dallas-Fort Worth and Gene and Billie moved to Texas in 1978.He and Billie found another home in Rockwall, TX at Chandler’s Landing and quickly made another group of lifelong friends there. Andy, Jon and Jane soon followed them and started their careers, married and raised their kids in Dallas.Gene joined the Dallas Rotary Club in 1978 and was very active, becoming President Elect in 1987, then serving as President of the Downtown Dallas Rotary Club from 1988-1989. Gene was awarded the prestigious Paul Harris Fellow by the International Rotary Club in 1988. He also served on the Board of Directors of the local Better Business Bureau and the United Way Gifts Committee.Gene retired from Montgomery Ward after a successful 30 year career in 1982. He worked an additional 10 years in various fields before retiring home to a wonderful life with Billie in 1992.Billie and Gene loved to travel, and they began a series of motor home trips across the U.S. in 1993 with their best friends Bob and Barbara Iven who was also Billie’s older sister. From 1993-1995 the group traveled over 19,000 miles to 46 states, visiting 19 National Parks and relaxing and having fun in the “Honey Coach.” They also followed the trail of Lewis and Clark Trail from St. Joseph, MO to the coast of Oregon. Gene was a distant relative to Meriwether Lewis and many of the family have been honored by being named after the famous explorer.In 1998 Gene and Billie began another adventure, moving to Cedar Creek Lake in Mabank, TX. They made another great group of friends at the Island at Pinnacle Club, enjoying golf, the water and beautiful sunsets together. They lived there until 2006, always with an open door to their kids and grandkids who spent a fantastic series of holidays, birthdays and long weekends there with Grandma and Grandpa.In 2007 they moved to Plano, TX and made yet another group of friends, enjoying competitive games of bridge and a host of social events. Gene and Billie’s home was again the location for many family holidays, birthday parties and visits with their kids, grandkids and great grandkids.Gene is survived by his wife of 63 years, Billie June Fash Morrison Lewis; his son, Joe Fash Morrison Lewis; son, Andrew Meriwether Lewis (Cindy) and daughter, Jane Lewis Rimer (Kirk).Son Jon Alexander Lewis preceded him in death in 2007 in Dallas, TX. Gene was also preceded in death by his mother and father, Lillian and Victor Lewis of Enid, OK and sister, Myrth Lewis Semke of Enid, OK .Gene and Billie have 7 grandchildren, Joey Meredith Lewis, Meredith Rimer Ajello (Bill), James Lewis Rimer, Benjamin Meriwether Lewis, Samantha Waring Lewis, Nicholas Andrew Lewis (Harleigh) and Christopher Matthew Lewis. They also have 3 great grandchildren, Emerson Jane Ajello , Finley Ann Ajello and Layne McKinley Lewis.A Life Celebration will be held for Gene at Restland Memorial Chapel, 13005 Greenville Avenue, Dallas, TX 75243 on December 1, 2018. Visitation for family and friends will be from 10:00-11:00 AM prior to the service.He became a member of the Willed Body Program at UT Southwestern in 2015 and was proud to donate his body to science. He will be interred at a later date next to his son Jon at Restland Cemetery.Gene will be greatly missed for his wonderful laugh and sense of humor, his passion for life and his beliefs and his love for his family. Gene loved being the center of attention and always will be with the stories that Billie, his friends, his kids and grandkids remember and share about him.In lieu of flowers, memorials and remembrances can be made in Gene’s name to the Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children, 2222 Welborn Street, Dallas, TX 75219, Faith Presbyterian Hospice, 12477 Merit Drive, Dallas, TX 75251 or The Rotary Club of Dallas, 400 S. Houston, STE 390, Dallas, TX. 75202.
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