Richard B. Lewis (Dick) LTC USAF (Ret), 94, of Jacksonville, FL passed away with many members of his family present Nov 12, 2016. He left behind his loving wife Evelyn who shared his love of life and adventure to the very end, her daughter Rachel (Orlando, FL) grandsons Jose and Louis, Dick's three children, Richard (Gladys) Lewis, Locust Grove AR, Pam Berlin (Jacksonville, FL) and Teresa Lewis (Conway AR), Grandchildren- Richard Eric Lewis, (Sebastian FL), Susan (Don) Wasilewski (Lakeland FL), Kerry (Mary) Lewis (Lakeland, FL), Ronald (Lynette) Berlin, Middleburg, FL, Doug (Wendy) Rau Tallahassee, FL, Tasha (Kevin) Hovis, Fredericktown MO, Kelli (Bill) Gay, Puyallup WA, Shawn (Michelle) Harris, Clarksville, TN, April Harris, Conway AR, Amber Harris, London KY, Aimie Harris (deceased), Ayla and Abby Harris and Annie Price (Altamonte Springs, FL), Ashley, Lovelle and Aleah Harris, Sioux City, SD, 31 great grandchildren and 5 great great grandchildren.
Dick and Evelyn were devoted Christians attending Deermeadows Baptist Church and very close to their church family; Dick loved working with and for the church no matter where he lived throughout his adult life. He and Evelyn enjoyed traveling, reading, and just having a good time.

He was born in Arkansas City, Kansas Apr 2,1922 to Benjamin Lewis and Eula (Day) and worked for his dad who owned the Western Auto Store in Farmington, MO while completing two years of college. After marrying Margie D. (Pogue) with whom he was married almost 72 years he joined the Army Air Corp July 18, 1942. Dick completed bomber pilot training and flew 35 combat missions in B17s and B-24s over Germany, France, and Belgian. Just before leaving the US his maternal grandmother was dying. After arriving overseas he received a letter from his mother saying that the night his grandmother died she appeared in a dream telling his mother to relay to Dick that she would be on his wing keeping him safe. His plane was shot up many times and seldom returned with all engines running. Once all four engines were damaged and quit after a bomb run, however he and his crew got the engines started again and they made it home. Another time they lost the third engine before they crossed the English channel and he relayed to his crew to prepare to jump (parachute); his crew told him they would rather not jump that they trusted him to get them to England which he did but barely.
He completed his 35 missions with no injuries to any of his crew in spite of being badly shot up many times. He returned to Farmington after the war and worked for his father while also in the USAF Reserve.
He was called back into service during the Korean Conflict and flew transport missions until it ended.
When he returned home he learned that the nearby town (Fredericktown) near Farmington, MO needed a Western Auto Store. He was able to secure a loan and start a business that was very successful. He stayed in the USAF Reserve, retiring as a LT Col. with 30 years of service.
In 1964 he sold the Western Auto store and moved to Florida where he worked at several businesses while buying and selling/renting property. At one time he owned over 30 homes. In 2009 after some prompting by a good friend Jim Sharpe and daughter Pam he wrote a book about his 35 combat missions during WWII. He named the book "Angel On My Wing" because he (and his entire crew) believed his grandmother was out there protecting them. After he wrote his book he became somewhat of a celebrity speaking at colleges, radio stations, air shows and attending many book signings. He really loved people and was a very good speaker.
Dick awakened in the morning whistling or singing and went to bed the same way; he was a handyman like no other and loved to help anyone he could, He was known to always have a last comment to ponder over in his Sunday School class, dearly loved to dance even at 94, had a passion for Gospel music, Willie Nelson, flowers and gardening, dearly loved his hats-taking after his father, was a wonderful story teller, enjoyed taking the elderly to church, was a caretaker when needed and even raised many birds in the 70's. There are too many children/grandchildren to list that he and his wife Margie welcomed into their home to help.
His remains will be interred at Arlington Park Cemetery on Lone Star Road in Jacksonville, Florida.
Visitation will be November 16 from 5:00-7:00 P.M. and funeral Nov. 17 at 11:00 A.M. at Arlington Park Cemetery.