William J. (Bill) Lewis age 90 of Sturgis SD, died Monday, June 11, 2007 at the Rapid City Regional Hospital.

Burial will be held Friday, 9:30 AM at the Black Hills National Cemetery near Sturgis, SD. A Memorial Service will be held at 2:30 PM at the Kinkade Funeral Chapel.

Bill Lewis was born in Mitchell, SD on January 26, 1917 to George & Rea Lewis. He spent his childhood in Mitchell. He married Mae Sievers on April 10, 1944 in Fresno, CA. He served in the Army during WWII, shipping out on Mother's Day 1944. After 4 years of what Bill reported as a huge adventure, he returned to Mitchell, SD and worked with his uncles raising purebred Angus cattle. In 1959 Bill and Mae moved to the Grand River Ranch, southeast of Lemmon, SD where they raised their four children, Gary, Vicky, Becky & Patty. Bill continued to be involved with horses and cattle until retiring to Sturgis in 1994.

Bill helped organized the SD Cutting Horse Association and served as a Director. He was an AQHA Judge and helped to organize, judge and participate in horse related events through out his life. He was proud being a member of the SD Buckaroos, numerous Saddle Clubs, Roping Clubs, and the VFW. Everyone who knew Bill agrees his enthusiasm for life, a laugh and good story were his trademark. He lived a good life and got by with it!

Preceding him in death were his parents, George & Rea, a sister Josephine, his wife Mae, and a grandson, Jace Waddell.

Survivors include a son, Gary (Kandie) Lewis, Ogallala, NE, three daughters, Becky (Ron) Thompson, Whitesboro, TX, Patty (Darwin) Hauser, Faith, SD, Vicky McIntosh, Rapid City, SD, 5 grandchildren, and 9 great grandchildren.

A memorial has been established to the SD Buckaroos Scholarship fund.