Ira F. Bewley

Ira F. Bewley, 90, died Sunday, December 23, 2012 in Pampa.Services will be at 2:00 PM Friday, December 28, 2012, at Carmichael-Whatley Colonial Chapel, with Rev. Barry Owens, associate pastor of First Baptist Church, officiating.Burial will follow in Fairview Cemetery with military honors courtesy of U. S. Navy. Arrangements are under the direction of Carmichael-Whatley Funeral Directors.Mr. Bewley was born January 22, 1922 near Mount Dora, New Mexico. His family moved to Rosston, Texas in north western Cooke County in 1924. He attended Ross Point School, graduating from Era High School in 1939 and Gainesville Junior College in 1941. He married Juanita Gill of Weatherford, Texas in 1942. She preceded him in death in 1998. He was a veteran of the U. S. Navy, serving during World War II with the U. S. Naval Air Wing for 3 ? years in the pacific. He was a navy torpedo bomber turret gunner in Air Group 31 and was attached to the aircraft carrier Cabot. He participated in eight major battles. His military awards included the Distinguished Flying Cross, Air medal, Asiatic-Pacific Combat medal with seven bronze stars, and the U. S. and Philippine presidential citation. Ira had been a resident of Pampa since 1952. He was employed by Celanese Chemical Company for approximately 36 years, working at the Bishop, Corpus Christi and Pampa plants, and retiring in 1982. He was a member of the Everyman?s Bible Class and a volunteer with Good Samaritan Christian Services in Pampa, and was a member of the Texas Panhandle Veteran?s Hall of Fame.Survivors include a son: John Bewley of Denver, Colorado; a daughter: Jean Hemken of Golden, Colorado; 2 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren. Ira was preceded in death by his parents and a brother.Memorials may be made to First Baptist Church, P.O. Box 621, Pampa, Texas 79066-0621, Good Samaritan Christian Services, 309 Ward Street, Pampa, Texas 79065, Pampa Senior Citizens Center 500 W. Francis, Pampa, Texas 79065, or a favorite charity.