Luman Doyle Lewis

Click below to listen to the funeral service.  Available until July 23, 2017.

Luman Doyle (Bill) Lewis, 92, passed from this world on April 13, 2017 at the Central Utah Veteran’s Home in Payson, Utah.  Luman leaves a legacy of faith in God, love of family and country, and service to all to those who were privileged to know him in this life.

Luman was born on January 15, 1925 in rural Darbun, Mississippi to Jesse Franklin Lewis and Nannie Louise Stephens as the ninth of ten children. He was named after the Elders that baptized his parents into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and his love of the gospel defined the man he was.

Growing up in rural Mississippi during the depression Luman learned at a young age not only to work hard, but to make work fun.  Although his formal schooling ended after the 10th grade, he was able to attend a National Youth Administration school sponsored by the government that trained young people for defense factory jobs.  When training was over he was too young to get a job, but because of his new skills in hydraulics, he eventually finagled his way into being hired at an airbase prior to his being drafted into the Army Air Corp at age eighteen.  Much of Luman’s WWII service was spent in England building aircraft engines and providing mechanical support for aircraft. 

After the war, Luman joined the Air Force and courted Evelyn Madeline Ogle for a year and a half before they were married on April 3, 1948 in Bossier City, Louisiana. Four months later he left to serve as aircraft ground support for nine months during the Berlin Air Lift.  In the coming years Luman and Madeline and their growing family would live in Holland and Germany as well as many bases around the United States until retiring from the Air Force in 1971, having achieved the rank of Chief Master Sergeant, the highest possible rank for a non-commissioned officer. A highlight during those years was taking a bus trip from San Antonio, Texas to the Salt Lake City temple to be sealed on April 9, 1956.  Luman and Madeline fully embraced the military lifestyle and made many treasured and lifelong friendships along the way.

Throughout his life, Luman was known for his outgoing and friendly nature.  He loved jokes and silly songs and his posterity will always be able to share a laugh about his many “grandpaisms”.  He was also an avid fisherman, an amazing dart player once banned from the state fair after winning too many prizes, a bowler of a perfect game, and had a renowned “hoppity-skip” softball pitch that he threw in games well into his late sixties!

But it is both his great faith in the Lord, and his example of service to others that his posterity will strive most to emulate. Within the LDS Church, Luman served as a branch president both abroad and here in the US, as well as in numerous bishoprics.  He served as Stake Patriarch in Louisiana as well as in Orem, Utah. He was a remarkable home teacher and impacted lives wherever he lived with his strong, yet humble testimony.  

Luman will be greatly missed by his beloved wife of 69 years, Madeline, their children, Franklin (Christie) Lewis, Brenda (Ed) Bichon, Martin (Peggy) Lewis, Janie (Randal) Shumway, and Brad (Alair) Lewis.  His twenty grandchildren and sixteen and 5/9 great-grandchildren will always be proud to be his posterity and to remember that he loved the Lord, his family, his country…and BYU.

The family wishes to express their deep appreciation for all those at the Central Utah Veteran’s Home in Payson who served, loved and honored him for three and a half years.  It is a remarkable place.  For those wishing to make a donation in Luman’s honor, please consider this facility.  (The Mervyn Sharp Bennion Central Utah Veteran’s home at 1551 N. Main Street, Payson, Utah 84651).

Funeral Services will take place on Saturday, April 22, 2017 at 11:00 am at the Suncrest 5th Ward, 140 North 400 West in Orem, Utah with family visitation from 9:30-10:30 am prior to the service. Followed by the interment with Full Military Honors at 12:45 pm at the Utah Veterans Memorial Park in Bluffdale, Utah.