Mary Janis Lewis

SERVICES: 10:00 AM Monday, June 30, 2008, at First Baptist Church, with Dr. Johnny Funderburg, pastor, and Dr. Sunny Stuart, pastor of the First Baptist Church of Little Axe, Oklahoma, officiating.BURIAL: Fairview Cemetery under the direction of Carmichael-Whatley Funeral Directors.BIOGRAPHY: Mary Janis "Jannie" Lewis flew into the arms of her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, at 12:30 AM on June 26, 2008 after finalizing an 11-year bout with breast cancer. Mrs. Lewis was born February 20, 1938 at home on east Francis Street on her grandmother's birthday to Frank Knight Silcott and Imogene Silcott. With Hitler storming across Europe, it was a frightening time to bring a new baby into this world. Jannie was a lifelong resident of Pampa. She always said her obituary would read, "born, lived and died in Pampa," because she loved the high plains of Texas, especially the sunsets. Some of her sweetest memories were attending Woodrow Wilson Elementary, Pampa Junior High and Pampa High School where lifetime friendships were made and remain to this day. She was in the top ten percent of the class of 1956. Jannie didn't go to college until the age of 38 as a returning student in 1978. At 48, she graduated from Clarendon College with a 3.9 GPA.She met Gene W. Lewis her senior year in high school. After dating 15 months, they married on May 31, 1957, celebrating 43 years together before his untimely death on June 21, 2000. Jannie was a member of the reunion committee of the class of 1956, and originator and motivator of the bronze Harvester sculpture on the high school lawn. In 1980, Gene and Jannie obtained Real Estate licenses and thereafter opened Action Realty in May of 1984 with Jannie as the broker. She spent almost 20 enjoyable years at the business and very successfully made lots of friends. Gene and Jannie's personal motto at Action Realty was, "if we had a happy buyer and a happy seller, then we were hysterical."The most important part of Jannie's life was her relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. She was saved at the age of 25 at Central Baptist Church and began an intensive study of God's Word which lasted her entire life. She also raised her family at Central Baptist. Jannie had read the Bible through 19 times and would have completed 20 this year. Her favorite Bible verse was Proverbs 3:5-6, "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not into thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him and he shall direct thy paths." Jannie put her trust in the One who promised to meet her every need. Her church work included helping with the children's hour for over 35 years with Mrs. Wynola Sanders.SURVIVORS: her daughter: Jill Susan Stuart and husband Scott of Norman, Oklahoma; adopted granddaughters: Meghan Elizabeth Lewis and Melissa Erin Feil and husband Ryan, all of Pampa; her son: Jay Scott Lewis of Hereford; grandchildren: Shaye Stuart and Hailey Stuart of Norman, Oklahoma, Macy Lewis, Jayce Lewis, McKenna Lewis and Jentry Lewis, all of Hereford; 3 sisters: Roberta Babb and Ann Briggs, both of Pampa, and Frances Edwards of Prairie Grove, Arkansas; in-laws: David and Glenna Jones of Edmond, Oklahoma, and Monty and Angela Lewis of San Marcos. MEMORIALS: Child Evangelism Fellowship, 816 SW 9th, Amarillo, Texas 79101, or First Baptist Church, P.O. Box 621, Pampa, Texas 79066-0621.