1921
Preston
2010
Preston Lewis
January 21, 1921 — September 2, 2010
SERVICES: 3 PM SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2010 AT OTT AND LEE FUNERAL HOME IN BRANDON.
VISITATION: 12 NOON ON SUNDAY
Preston Odell Lewis, Sr., a man of strong Faith and Character, Age 89, passed into the arms of Jesus at his home on Thursday, September 2, 2010.
Mr. Lewis was born on January 21, 1921 to John B. and Zona Lewis of Moultrie, Ga. Mr. Lewis entered the United States Army in 1939 and immediately volunteered for overseas service, stationed at Hickam Field, Hawaii, Survivor of the Surprise attack at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. He returned to service statewide from the Asiatic-Pacific Theater as a drill sergeant of new recruits at the U.S. Army School of Infantry, Fort Benning, GA. Sergeant Lewis was then promoted to Platoon Sergeant and served in the African-Middle Eastern-European Theater as he led soldiers in action across the battlefields of Africa, Sicily and Italy. His Military Career culminated with his retirement from Duty as a U.S. Air Force Reserve Master Sergeant at Keesler Air Force Base after 26 years and 2 months total military time in the U.S. Army, U.S. Army Air Corps and the United States Air Force.
Mr. Lewis returned from the war and attended Southern Missionary College in Collegedale, TN. He moved to Mississippi in 1957 and founded Mississippi Memory Gardens, a cemetery in Madison, MS now known as Natchez Trace Memorial Park. He then founded Floral Hills Memory Gardens in Pearl, MS in April 1958. He was the first president of the Mississippi Cemetery Association.
He was preceded in death by his parents, three brothers, Ben, Herbert and J.B. Lewis of Moultrie, GA. Two sisters, Bertie Love of Moultrie, GA and Marceline Kopp of Athens, GA.
He is survived by his beloved and devoted wife of 48 years, Mary Lynn Lewis of Pearl, MS; two daughers, Caroline Gammil of Apollo Beach, FL and Tammy McCann of Houston, TX; two sons, Preston O. Lewis, Jr. of Petal, MS and Jefferson A. Creel of Pearl, MS; one sister, Gertrude Collins of Warner Robbins, GA and one brother, Jack Lewis of Moultrie, GA; six Grandchildren and five great grandchildren.
VISITATION: 12 NOON ON SUNDAY
Preston Odell Lewis, Sr., a man of strong Faith and Character, Age 89, passed into the arms of Jesus at his home on Thursday, September 2, 2010.
Mr. Lewis was born on January 21, 1921 to John B. and Zona Lewis of Moultrie, Ga. Mr. Lewis entered the United States Army in 1939 and immediately volunteered for overseas service, stationed at Hickam Field, Hawaii, Survivor of the Surprise attack at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. He returned to service statewide from the Asiatic-Pacific Theater as a drill sergeant of new recruits at the U.S. Army School of Infantry, Fort Benning, GA. Sergeant Lewis was then promoted to Platoon Sergeant and served in the African-Middle Eastern-European Theater as he led soldiers in action across the battlefields of Africa, Sicily and Italy. His Military Career culminated with his retirement from Duty as a U.S. Air Force Reserve Master Sergeant at Keesler Air Force Base after 26 years and 2 months total military time in the U.S. Army, U.S. Army Air Corps and the United States Air Force.
Mr. Lewis returned from the war and attended Southern Missionary College in Collegedale, TN. He moved to Mississippi in 1957 and founded Mississippi Memory Gardens, a cemetery in Madison, MS now known as Natchez Trace Memorial Park. He then founded Floral Hills Memory Gardens in Pearl, MS in April 1958. He was the first president of the Mississippi Cemetery Association.
He was preceded in death by his parents, three brothers, Ben, Herbert and J.B. Lewis of Moultrie, GA. Two sisters, Bertie Love of Moultrie, GA and Marceline Kopp of Athens, GA.
He is survived by his beloved and devoted wife of 48 years, Mary Lynn Lewis of Pearl, MS; two daughers, Caroline Gammil of Apollo Beach, FL and Tammy McCann of Houston, TX; two sons, Preston O. Lewis, Jr. of Petal, MS and Jefferson A. Creel of Pearl, MS; one sister, Gertrude Collins of Warner Robbins, GA and one brother, Jack Lewis of Moultrie, GA; six Grandchildren and five great grandchildren.
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