Services for William Joseph (Billy Joe) Lewis will be held at Barnetts Creek Baptist Church Saturday, July 14 with visitation at 10:00 A.M. in the church fellowship hall, funeral to follow at 11:00 A.M. in the sanctuary, and graveside services at the church cemetery.
Billy Joe was the oldest child of the late Joseph Ferguson and Dorothy Beam Lewis. He was born on February 3, 1923 in Ocala, Florida. As a young child, he moved with his family to Thomasville, Georgia. He was a graduate of Ochlocknee High School, The Atlanta School of Electronic Technology, and Belmar Laboratory School of Radar Technology. Soon after the beginning of World War II he was recruited by the Civil Service to work on the plans to develop and install radar to provide protection for NY Harbor. However, with the war in progress, Billy Joe soon felt the need to fulfill his patriotic duty by enlisting in the U.S. Army. He was selected for the Signal Corps and was initially stationed at Fort McPherson, GA. Soon after this he volunteered to join the 1304 Regiment of the U.S. Army Engineers and was transferred to Fort Sutton, NC.
It was here in North Carolina that fate stepped in, and he met the love of his life, Dorothy Bell. Their love was so intense and immediate that just six months after meeting they wed on April 27, 1944. They were married only two short months when Billy Joe received the news that he was shipping out to the China-Burma-India War Theater to work on the construction of the famed Burma Road. He would be gone for almost two years.
While in Burma, Billy Joe was able to make use of his radio technology expertise and established a popular radio broadcast program for his fellow troops. During his Army service, Billy Joe achieved the rank of Technical Sergeant.
At the end of the war, he returned to Charlotte, and he and his young wife made the decision to move to Thomasville, Georgia. There he began working with his father and brother as a partner in Joe F. Lewis and Sons. Their business eventually grew into Lewis Enterprises, Inc. which operated in Thomasville for more than 43 years.
After his retirement from Lewis Enterprises, Billy Joe found a second career as the first coordinator for the Thomas County Volunteer Fire Departments.
Throughout his life Billy Joe enjoyed being an amateur (HAM) radio operator. Those who knew him best will fondly remember his familiar call letters of W4ZDP. In 1943, he co-founded the Thomasville Amateur Radio Club. Billy Joe has always been active in the Thomasville community and was a past president of the Junior Chamber of Commerce (Jaycees). For 31 years he was also the Chief of the Barnetts Creek Volunteer Fire Department.
Up until his death, Billy Joe was an active member of Barnetts Creek Baptist Church where he was a past deacon and served for 61 years as the church treasurer.
He was predeceased by his only son, William Joseph (Bill) Lewis, his younger sister, Lurlie Lewis McRae, his sisters in-law Opal Lewis, Louise Einhart, his brothers in-law, Phil Jones, Bruce McRae, M.J (Jim) Bell, George Einhart, and Dr. Robert Thourson.
He is survived by his wife of 74 years, Dorothy Bell Lewis, and his daughter, Anne Lewis Moss and son-in-law, Larry Moss. Additionally, four grandsons survive him, William Joseph (Josh) Lewis, III and his wife Jenifer, William Madison Harper, V and his wife Siobhan, Marc Lewis Harper and his wife, Tzara, and Lawrence Daniel Moss and his wife Aidan, one granddaughter, Dorothy Mobley Moss Brandenburg, and her husband Ben, five great grandsons, Lucas Madison Harper, Samuel Laurence Gransbury, Lewis Jackson Harper, Henry Joseph Harper, Jacob Bell Harper, and one great granddaughter, Abigail Frances Brandenburg.
He is also survived by his three younger siblings, Logan M. Lewis, Mary Lewis Thourson, Joy Lewis Jones, and a sister in-law, Vilma Bell.
Other survivors include his beloved nieces, Regina (Snookie) Brown, Julie Jones Chapman (Mitch), Gail E. Hailey, Carol Einhart, Beth Briggs (Hank), and Connie Bell, his much loved nephews, Monty Lewis, Jim McRae (Mandy), Jody Lewis (Jaymie), Philip Jones (Lynn), Ron Bell (Barb), and Theodore Thourson.
Billy Joe is also survived by his beloved foster daughter, Teresa Weeks Theofilos (Lou) and her children, Jeff and Casey Weeks. The family wishes to thank the employees and volunteers of Hospice of Southwest Georgia for their months of tender care, especially Roger Pierce and Elaine Cole.
Memorials may be made in his memory to Barnett’s Creek Baptist Church, P.O. Box 69, Thomasville, GA 31799, or Hospice of Southwest Georgia, 114 Mimosa Dr., Thomasville, GA 31792. Guests are invited to sign the online register at www.allenfh.com .
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of William Joseph Lewis, please visit our flower store.
Billy Joe was the oldest child of the late Joseph Ferguson and Dorothy Beam Lewis. He was born on February 3, 1923 in Ocala, Florida. As a young child, he moved with his family to Thomasville, Georgia. He was a graduate of Ochlocknee High School, The Atlanta School of Electronic Technology, and Belmar Laboratory School of Radar Technology. Soon after the beginning of World War II he was recruited by the Civil Service to work on the plans to develop and install radar to provide protection for NY Harbor. However, with the war in progress, Billy Joe soon felt the need to fulfill his patriotic duty by enlisting in the U.S. Army. He was selected for the Signal Corps and was initially stationed at Fort McPherson, GA. Soon after this he volunteered to join the 1304 Regiment of the U.S. Army Engineers and was transferred to Fort Sutton, NC.
It was here in North Carolina that fate stepped in, and he met the love of his life, Dorothy Bell. Their love was so intense and immediate that just six months after meeting they wed on April 27, 1944. They were married only two short months when Billy Joe received the news that he was shipping out to the China-Burma-India War Theater to work on the construction of the famed Burma Road. He would be gone for almost two years.
While in Burma, Billy Joe was able to make use of his radio technology expertise and established a popular radio broadcast program for his fellow troops. During his Army service, Billy Joe achieved the rank of Technical Sergeant.
At the end of the war, he returned to Charlotte, and he and his young wife made the decision to move to Thomasville, Georgia. There he began working with his father and brother as a partner in Joe F. Lewis and Sons. Their business eventually grew into Lewis Enterprises, Inc. which operated in Thomasville for more than 43 years.
After his retirement from Lewis Enterprises, Billy Joe found a second career as the first coordinator for the Thomas County Volunteer Fire Departments.
Throughout his life Billy Joe enjoyed being an amateur (HAM) radio operator. Those who knew him best will fondly remember his familiar call letters of W4ZDP. In 1943, he co-founded the Thomasville Amateur Radio Club. Billy Joe has always been active in the Thomasville community and was a past president of the Junior Chamber of Commerce (Jaycees). For 31 years he was also the Chief of the Barnetts Creek Volunteer Fire Department.
Up until his death, Billy Joe was an active member of Barnetts Creek Baptist Church where he was a past deacon and served for 61 years as the church treasurer.
He was predeceased by his only son, William Joseph (Bill) Lewis, his younger sister, Lurlie Lewis McRae, his sisters in-law Opal Lewis, Louise Einhart, his brothers in-law, Phil Jones, Bruce McRae, M.J (Jim) Bell, George Einhart, and Dr. Robert Thourson.
He is survived by his wife of 74 years, Dorothy Bell Lewis, and his daughter, Anne Lewis Moss and son-in-law, Larry Moss. Additionally, four grandsons survive him, William Joseph (Josh) Lewis, III and his wife Jenifer, William Madison Harper, V and his wife Siobhan, Marc Lewis Harper and his wife, Tzara, and Lawrence Daniel Moss and his wife Aidan, one granddaughter, Dorothy Mobley Moss Brandenburg, and her husband Ben, five great grandsons, Lucas Madison Harper, Samuel Laurence Gransbury, Lewis Jackson Harper, Henry Joseph Harper, Jacob Bell Harper, and one great granddaughter, Abigail Frances Brandenburg.
He is also survived by his three younger siblings, Logan M. Lewis, Mary Lewis Thourson, Joy Lewis Jones, and a sister in-law, Vilma Bell.
Other survivors include his beloved nieces, Regina (Snookie) Brown, Julie Jones Chapman (Mitch), Gail E. Hailey, Carol Einhart, Beth Briggs (Hank), and Connie Bell, his much loved nephews, Monty Lewis, Jim McRae (Mandy), Jody Lewis (Jaymie), Philip Jones (Lynn), Ron Bell (Barb), and Theodore Thourson.
Billy Joe is also survived by his beloved foster daughter, Teresa Weeks Theofilos (Lou) and her children, Jeff and Casey Weeks. The family wishes to thank the employees and volunteers of Hospice of Southwest Georgia for their months of tender care, especially Roger Pierce and Elaine Cole.
Memorials may be made in his memory to Barnett’s Creek Baptist Church, P.O. Box 69, Thomasville, GA 31799, or Hospice of Southwest Georgia, 114 Mimosa Dr., Thomasville, GA 31792. Guests are invited to sign the online register at www.allenfh.com .
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