On May 7, 1928, a precious, bundle of joy was delivered to Thomas and Rosetta [Randolph] Williams in Okmulgee, Oklahoma. They called this delight to their lives, Cleo.

Cleo grew up and attended school in Okmulgee.


She met and later married the love of her life, Preston Lewis, Jr., on January 29, 1944. Their loving union was blessed with thirteen children; five boys and eight girls.


A loving wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, great-great-grandmother, sister and friend, Mrs. Lewis impressed upon her entire family the importance of knowing the Lord for themselves. She served the Lord faithfully as a Deaconess for many years at the First Baptist Church Central. She loved to cook and did so for a living at O.S.U.-Okmulgee, ultimately retiring in 1990.


She closed her eyes for the last time on Sunday, October 24, 2010 from Tulsa, Oklahoma. Mrs. Lewis was preceded in death by her husband, Preston Lewis, Jr., and her sons, Randy, Tim, Bill and Charles.


She leaves to lament her homegoing; her precious children, Rosetta Deckard, Norma [Dave] Drew, Joyce [Bernard] Wilson, George [Veronica] Lewis, Sandra [Curtis] Payne, Kathy [Donny] Ellis, Loretta [Bryant] Patton, Glenda Wallace and Bobbie [Jerome] Gresham; her sisters, Bernice [Alfred] Biglow and Gayle Ward; a brother, Kenneth [Pat] Ward; although not a daughter, but the best daughter-in-law a mother could ever ask for her child, Debra Lewis; and a caravan of grandchildren, great-grandchildren, great-great-grandchildren, other relatives and friends.


The Sacred Farewell for Mother Cleo Lewis will commence on Saturday, October 30, 2010 at 10:00 A.M. in the First Baptist Church, 521 North Central Avenue in Okmulgee. The Pastor, Reverend. P. W. Jackson, Sr., will preside. Burial will follow in Our Lady of Grace Cemetery in Okmulgee. You may visit Mrs. Lewis, as she slumbers in sweet repose at the Keith D. Biglow Funeral Directors, Inc., of Okmulgee on Friday from 10:00 A.M. until 6:00 P.M.