Wayne Lewis died peacefully on March 14, 2012, at the age of 96. He had been alert and hearty until a few months prior to his death in the Mooreland Heritage Manor in Mooreland, OK.
Wayne Stanley Lewis, the first child of Walter E. and Jennie (Stanley) Lewis, was born November 9, 1915, at their country home northeast of Gate, OK. They were devout Quakers living in a Quaker community surrounding the Friends Academy, which set the spiritual and academic tone for the area. Wayne made his first commitment to the Lord at his mother's knee at an early age.
His grade school education was at the local one room school, Prairie Dell. The high school years were at Englewood, KS, and his college years were shared with siblings, so that he graduated from Friends University many years later. During the WWII years he was a conscientious objector but was classified as 4-F, physically unfit.
He followed the family tradition of being a farmer and continued this following his marriage to Mary Catherine Mills in 1948. Wayne and Mary Catherine were farmers and parents in Gate for several years until they accepted a yearlong teaching position with Friendsville Academy, a mission school for mountain children in Tennessee. This was a turning point for Wayne; he became a public school teacher and taught for the next twenty years, until retirement. They taught at Gate schools and then in Holtville, CA. During the teaching years Wayne and Mary Catherine took graduate courses, attending a total of 12 schools and culminating with Masters Degrees at Arizona State University. Upon retirement Wayne and Mary Catherine designed and built a solar house in Gate. They embraced the personal computer world and genealogy became their main hobby. Wayne compiled a volume of the Stanley and Allied Families genealogy reference book in 2001. They were active in the Gate Friends Church and Yearly Meeting and contributed in many ways. Wayne and Mary Catherine were married for nearly 56 years, until her death in 2004. Wayne is survived by son, Dale John Lewis and wife Barbara with sons Jeffrey and Matthew, and daughter Jane (Lewis) Stone and husband David with son Dylan. All live in California. Wayne and Mary Catherine were also "adopted" into the Laurence and Irene Dunn family, and enjoyed many celebrations with them as well as the love and support of the extended Dunn family. Laurence and Wayne were close friends for over 80 years and shared many discussions, haircuts, a love of birds, and a love of farming. Wayne remarried at age 89 to Marguerete (Price) Bond Heglin, mother of Geraland, Dennis and Delbert. Marguerete preceded Wayne in death in January 2012. He was also preceded in death by his parents, his brother Gordon Lewis and his sisters Lois and Esther Lewis. In addition to his children, he is survived by brother, Macy Lewis and wife Ann, nephews John and Walter Lewis, sister-in law Ellen Lewis and many Mills family nephews and nieces.
Wayne was interviewed by Ken Burn's Florentine Films to capture his experience and thoughts about the Dust Bowl, which devastated the panhandle of Oklahoma and surrounding areas during the 1930s. The documentary was broadcast on PBS stations on November 18 and 19, 2012. His inclusion in this historical record of the Dust Bowl is a timely tribute to the knowledge that Wayne shared with everyone he knew.
Wayne's philosophy, scholarship & goodness will be remembered by many of his students, friends and family; during his Memorial Service on April 12, 2012, in the Gate Friends Church, a quote of of Wayne's was shared with those in attendance: "Death holds no fear; there is peace in following years of satisfactory fellowship with the Lord."
Wayne was a kind & gentle man, someone to be emulated.
In lieu of flowers, the family requested that memorial donations be made to Gate Friends Church, PO Box 128, Gate, OK 73844.
Wayne Stanley Lewis, the first child of Walter E. and Jennie (Stanley) Lewis, was born November 9, 1915, at their country home northeast of Gate, OK. They were devout Quakers living in a Quaker community surrounding the Friends Academy, which set the spiritual and academic tone for the area. Wayne made his first commitment to the Lord at his mother's knee at an early age.
His grade school education was at the local one room school, Prairie Dell. The high school years were at Englewood, KS, and his college years were shared with siblings, so that he graduated from Friends University many years later. During the WWII years he was a conscientious objector but was classified as 4-F, physically unfit.
He followed the family tradition of being a farmer and continued this following his marriage to Mary Catherine Mills in 1948. Wayne and Mary Catherine were farmers and parents in Gate for several years until they accepted a yearlong teaching position with Friendsville Academy, a mission school for mountain children in Tennessee. This was a turning point for Wayne; he became a public school teacher and taught for the next twenty years, until retirement. They taught at Gate schools and then in Holtville, CA. During the teaching years Wayne and Mary Catherine took graduate courses, attending a total of 12 schools and culminating with Masters Degrees at Arizona State University. Upon retirement Wayne and Mary Catherine designed and built a solar house in Gate. They embraced the personal computer world and genealogy became their main hobby. Wayne compiled a volume of the Stanley and Allied Families genealogy reference book in 2001. They were active in the Gate Friends Church and Yearly Meeting and contributed in many ways. Wayne and Mary Catherine were married for nearly 56 years, until her death in 2004. Wayne is survived by son, Dale John Lewis and wife Barbara with sons Jeffrey and Matthew, and daughter Jane (Lewis) Stone and husband David with son Dylan. All live in California. Wayne and Mary Catherine were also "adopted" into the Laurence and Irene Dunn family, and enjoyed many celebrations with them as well as the love and support of the extended Dunn family. Laurence and Wayne were close friends for over 80 years and shared many discussions, haircuts, a love of birds, and a love of farming. Wayne remarried at age 89 to Marguerete (Price) Bond Heglin, mother of Geraland, Dennis and Delbert. Marguerete preceded Wayne in death in January 2012. He was also preceded in death by his parents, his brother Gordon Lewis and his sisters Lois and Esther Lewis. In addition to his children, he is survived by brother, Macy Lewis and wife Ann, nephews John and Walter Lewis, sister-in law Ellen Lewis and many Mills family nephews and nieces.
Wayne was interviewed by Ken Burn's Florentine Films to capture his experience and thoughts about the Dust Bowl, which devastated the panhandle of Oklahoma and surrounding areas during the 1930s. The documentary was broadcast on PBS stations on November 18 and 19, 2012. His inclusion in this historical record of the Dust Bowl is a timely tribute to the knowledge that Wayne shared with everyone he knew.
Wayne's philosophy, scholarship & goodness will be remembered by many of his students, friends and family; during his Memorial Service on April 12, 2012, in the Gate Friends Church, a quote of of Wayne's was shared with those in attendance: "Death holds no fear; there is peace in following years of satisfactory fellowship with the Lord."
Wayne was a kind & gentle man, someone to be emulated.
In lieu of flowers, the family requested that memorial donations be made to Gate Friends Church, PO Box 128, Gate, OK 73844.
Wayne Lewis died peacefully on March 14, 2012, at the age of 96. He had been alert and hearty until a few months prior to his death in the Mooreland Heritage Manor in Mooreland, OK.
Wayne Stanley Lewis, the first child of Walter E. and Jennie (Stanley) Lewis, was born November 9, 1915, at their country home northeast of Gate, OK. They were devout Quakers living in a Quaker community surrounding the Friends Academy, which set the spiritual and academic tone for the area. Wayne made his first commitment to the Lord at his mother's knee at an early age.
His grade school education was at the local one room school, Prairie Dell. The high school years were at Englewood, KS, and his college years were shared with siblings, so that he graduated from Friends University many years later. During the WWII years he was a conscientious objector but was classified as 4-F, physically unfit.
He followed the family tradition of being a farmer and continued this following his marriage to Mary Catherine Mills in 1948. Wayne and Mary Catherine were farmers and parents in Gate for several years until they accepted a yearlong teaching position with Friendsville Academy, a mission school for mountain children in Tennessee. This was a turning point for Wayne; he became a public school teacher and taught for the next twenty years, until retirement. They taught at Gate schools and then in Holtville, CA. During the teaching years Wayne and Mary Catherine took graduate courses, attending a total of 12 schools and culminating with Masters Degrees at Arizona State University. Upon retirement Wayne and Mary Catherine designed and built a solar house in Gate. They embraced the personal computer world and genealogy became their main hobby. Wayne compiled a volume of the Stanley and Allied Families genealogy reference book in 2001. They were active in the Gate Friends Church and Yearly Meeting and contributed in many ways. Wayne and Mary Catherine were married for nearly 56 years, until her death in 2004. Wayne is survived by son, Dale John Lewis and wife Barbara with sons Jeffrey and Matthew, and daughter Jane (Lewis) Stone and husband David with son Dylan. All live in California. Wayne and Mary Catherine were also "adopted" into the Laurence and Irene Dunn family, and enjoyed many celebrations with them as well as the love and support of the extended Dunn family. Laurence and Wayne were close friends for over 80 years and shared many discussions, haircuts, a love of birds, and a love of farming. Wayne remarried at age 89 to Marguerete (Price) Bond Heglin, mother of Geraland, Dennis and Delbert. Marguerete preceded Wayne in death in January 2012. He was also preceded in death by his parents, his brother Gordon Lewis and his sisters Lois and Esther Lewis. In addition to his children, he is survived by brother, Macy Lewis and wife Ann, nephews John and Walter Lewis, sister-in law Ellen Lewis and many Mills family nephews and nieces.
Wayne was interviewed by Ken Burn's Florentine Films to capture his experience and thoughts about the Dust Bowl, which devastated the panhandle of Oklahoma and surrounding areas during the 1930s. The documentary was broadcast on PBS stations on November 18 and 19, 2012. His inclusion in this historical record of the Dust Bowl is a timely tribute to the knowledge that Wayne shared with everyone he knew.
Wayne's philosophy, scholarship & goodness will be remembered by many of his students, friends and family; during his Memorial Service on April 12, 2012, in the Gate Friends Church, a quote of of Wayne's was shared with those in attendance: "Death holds no fear; there is peace in following years of satisfactory fellowship with the Lord."
Wayne was a kind & gentle man, someone to be emulated.
In lieu of flowers, the family requested that memorial donations be made to Gate Friends Church, PO Box 128, Gate, OK 73844.
Wayne Stanley Lewis, the first child of Walter E. and Jennie (Stanley) Lewis, was born November 9, 1915, at their country home northeast of Gate, OK. They were devout Quakers living in a Quaker community surrounding the Friends Academy, which set the spiritual and academic tone for the area. Wayne made his first commitment to the Lord at his mother's knee at an early age.
His grade school education was at the local one room school, Prairie Dell. The high school years were at Englewood, KS, and his college years were shared with siblings, so that he graduated from Friends University many years later. During the WWII years he was a conscientious objector but was classified as 4-F, physically unfit.
He followed the family tradition of being a farmer and continued this following his marriage to Mary Catherine Mills in 1948. Wayne and Mary Catherine were farmers and parents in Gate for several years until they accepted a yearlong teaching position with Friendsville Academy, a mission school for mountain children in Tennessee. This was a turning point for Wayne; he became a public school teacher and taught for the next twenty years, until retirement. They taught at Gate schools and then in Holtville, CA. During the teaching years Wayne and Mary Catherine took graduate courses, attending a total of 12 schools and culminating with Masters Degrees at Arizona State University. Upon retirement Wayne and Mary Catherine designed and built a solar house in Gate. They embraced the personal computer world and genealogy became their main hobby. Wayne compiled a volume of the Stanley and Allied Families genealogy reference book in 2001. They were active in the Gate Friends Church and Yearly Meeting and contributed in many ways. Wayne and Mary Catherine were married for nearly 56 years, until her death in 2004. Wayne is survived by son, Dale John Lewis and wife Barbara with sons Jeffrey and Matthew, and daughter Jane (Lewis) Stone and husband David with son Dylan. All live in California. Wayne and Mary Catherine were also "adopted" into the Laurence and Irene Dunn family, and enjoyed many celebrations with them as well as the love and support of the extended Dunn family. Laurence and Wayne were close friends for over 80 years and shared many discussions, haircuts, a love of birds, and a love of farming. Wayne remarried at age 89 to Marguerete (Price) Bond Heglin, mother of Geraland, Dennis and Delbert. Marguerete preceded Wayne in death in January 2012. He was also preceded in death by his parents, his brother Gordon Lewis and his sisters Lois and Esther Lewis. In addition to his children, he is survived by brother, Macy Lewis and wife Ann, nephews John and Walter Lewis, sister-in law Ellen Lewis and many Mills family nephews and nieces.
Wayne was interviewed by Ken Burn's Florentine Films to capture his experience and thoughts about the Dust Bowl, which devastated the panhandle of Oklahoma and surrounding areas during the 1930s. The documentary was broadcast on PBS stations on November 18 and 19, 2012. His inclusion in this historical record of the Dust Bowl is a timely tribute to the knowledge that Wayne shared with everyone he knew.
Wayne's philosophy, scholarship & goodness will be remembered by many of his students, friends and family; during his Memorial Service on April 12, 2012, in the Gate Friends Church, a quote of of Wayne's was shared with those in attendance: "Death holds no fear; there is peace in following years of satisfactory fellowship with the Lord."
Wayne was a kind & gentle man, someone to be emulated.
In lieu of flowers, the family requested that memorial donations be made to Gate Friends Church, PO Box 128, Gate, OK 73844.
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