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Bobby G. 'Bob' Lewis Blanchester, OH QCWA # 32539 |
Bobby Gene Lewis, 81, of Blanchester, went to be with the Lord on May 30, 2019. Born on May 12, 1938 in Clarksville, he was the son of Elmer and Juanita (nee West) Lewis. He was the beloved husband of Alice Lewis; loving father of Jackie Lewis, Donna (Gary) Larason, Bobby Lewis, and David (Hieu) Lewis; proud grandfather of Nicole Gregory, Matthew Lewis, Candace Jones, Timmy Drake, Allison Drake, Duyen Lewis, Nghi Lewis, Linh Lewis, Sang Lewis, and Minh Lewis; great-grandfather of nine; and dear brother of Jerry, James, Betty, Bonnie, Joanne, Barbara, Alice, and Brenda. Along with his parents, Bobby is preceded in death by his brother, Earl Lewis. A funeral service will be held at 1 p.m. on June 3 at Tufts Schildmeyer Funeral Home, 120 W. Main St., Blanchester, where friends will be received from 11 a.m. until the time of service. Interment will take place at Edwardsville Cemetery. Memorial donations may be directed to the Alzheimer's Association, 644 Linn St # 1026, Cincinnati, OH 45203. www.tuftsschildmeyer.com
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Published in News Journal from May 30 to May 31, 2019.
I met Bob 24 years ago when I was first licensed as a radio amateur. His call at that time was KE8E. He would later change back to his original call W8DXF. Bob was one of the first contacts I made and we would go on to talk almost everyday on one radio band or another using any number of different modes. We did slowscan TV, Fastscan TV (direct and thru the DARA ATV repeater), CW, phone, packet radio. When I upgraded to Extra Class, Bob would get me interested in achieving the Worked All States Award on 75 meter phone (Geratol Net #2308). He and I and John (K8IJU SK) and Lou (KJ8U SK) would meet for breakfast every Saturday morning and that would develop into quite a crowd of us at a different establishment each week. One year (2002 ?) ops from the 1936 net joined us at Bob Evans Country Store (we took up half the place). Afterwards, we all went to the Hamfest at Scarlet Oaks.
Bob taught me how to fly an airplane (to the extent of my abilities). We spent hours flying around SW Ohio to every little grass strip airfield that Bob would take a notion to revisit. He had been to them all as he was in his mid sixties at that time and had been flying since he was 16. I wish I could remember all of the stories but one that sticks with me are the flour bag drops on a target drawn on the runway.
He had a 1947 Aeronca and was rebuilding the engine under supervision of an A&P. It was a cool airplane and I would see many like it at the bi-annual Aeronca fly-in at Middletown. Bob would be there and knew just about everybody there. We met up at the Sun -n- Fun at Lakeland FL one year (2005) when Bob flew down in his club Cessna 210. He and his buddy camped out on the grounds and I drove over from St. Pete to take in the show. We had a great time. Later on, I would get to fly the 210 with him as well as the 172.
He was also an accomplished cowboy pistol shooter. His cowboy name was Doc West. Somewhere I have a SSTV picture of him in his period outfit, slinging a Colt 45 and putting lead down the range. When I find it I will post it here. We also went to the Rendezvous at Friendship Indiana for the Muzzle Loader Nationals. My son tagged along on that trip and got quite a history lesson that day.
I have a Kenwood TS-520S that I bought from Bob 20 years ago. That was the rig I used to get my WAS award. I remember him telling me he had bought it from one of his Elmers from years ago.
We had just toured the Liberty Belle and the B-29 that were there. A hearty breakfast at the Airport Cafe was also consumed.
Bob became a Silent Key May 30, 2019. Until we meet again.
73 my Friend,
WU1N
2007 Mad River
