Obituary

Funeral services for Artie Frances "Jack" Lewis, 100, will be at 2 p.m. Saturday in First Baptist Church with Dr. Gene Meacham, the Rev. Carrol Green and Silas Short officiating. Burial will be in Parklawn Memorial Park in Plainview by Freeman-Abell Funeral Home. Mrs. Lewis died Wednesday, Dec. 14, 2005, in Dimmitt. She was born April, 29, 1905, in Hill County. She was nicknamed "Jack" by a sister who said she could run faster than a jackrabbit. She attended schools in Florence Hill and Duncanville. She married Barnie W. Lewis on Oct. 20, 1923. They moved to Hale Center in 1926 and he preceded her in death April 13, 1976. She lived in the same house for more than 67 years. While her children were growing up, she was active in school and parent organizations. A strongly patriotic American, Mrs. Lewis was one of the women in Hale County who was a World War I veteran's surviving wife. Mrs. Lewis, a member of First Baptist Church in Hale Center, was widely known for her volunteer work. She served as president of the Hale Center American Legion Auxiliary and since 1968 had helped send girls to Bluebonnet Girls State, a program created by the American Legion Auxiliary. She continued to support the girls each year despite being legally blind. For the past 18 years, she had made a red, white and blue afghan as a fund-raiser for the American Legion Auxiliary in Hale Center's July 4th celebration. She was an active member and former worthy matron of the Eastern Star Chapter until it became inactive. She helped organize the Hospital Auxiliary in Hale Center during the early 1940s and was a member until it also became inactive. Mrs. Lewis was a member of the Hale Center Women's Club, the Hale Center Senior Citizens and enjoyed playing bridge in her spare time. She was the recipient in 1993 of the Hale Center Chamber of Commerce Citizenship Award and was named Citizen Through the Years in 2004 during the annual Pioneer Round-Up in Plainview. Mrs. Lewis was an active member of the Hale Center Senior Citizens Center, where she attended five days a week. Survivors include one son and daughter-in-law, Bob and Ann Lewis of Fairfax, Va.; two daughters and sons-in-law, Nina and Bob Landers of Muleshoe and Barbara and Ray Bain of Dimmitt; five grandchildren and spouses, Billy and JoAnn Landers of Corsicana, Nancy and Jim Seyber of Perryton, Mark and Heather Bain of Lubbock, Mike and Cindy Bain of Canyon and John Rothrock of Mobile, Ala.; 13 great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild. Her husband and two granddaughters, Kristy Landers and Kathy Landers, are deceased. The family suggests memorials to Hale Center Senior Citizens, P.O. Box 205, Hale Center 79041, to First Baptist Church, Box 396, Hale Center, 79041, or to a favorite charity.