1933
Lela
2024
Lela Mae Lewis
June 15, 1933 — June 10, 2024
Hurricane, Utah
Lela Mae Lewis, age 90, Date of Death June 10, 2024 in Hurricane, UT
Lela M. Lewis was born on June 15, 1933 in Blythedale, Missouri to Rolla Gordon and
Venona Mae Wisman Shain. Lela had eight siblings. She recalled that there were so many
children in the family that she slept in an attic with four older brothers and sisters.
We are blessed to call her Mother because in the 4th grade, she survived rheumatic fever. It
took two years to recover from this but she was determined to stay alive and stay in school.
She graduated from Blythedale High School and went to work as a waitress in Liberal
Kansas where she met Dick L. Reynolds. She married Dick L. Reynolds on March 1, 1952
in Liberal, KS. Dick and Lela had four children together–Lore, Joyce, Marc and Steven.
Dick and Lela were blessed to have Marc Reynolds as one of their children. Marc was born
with Down Syndrome. Due to the struggles that they encountered raising Marc, they opened
the first school for the disabled in Liberal, Kansas.
Lela moved to Utah after she and Dick parted ways. She was soon baptized into the Church
of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints after arriving in Utah.
Lela worked at Woolworth’s and went to both Brigham Young University and The
University of Utah. She graduated from the University of Utah with a Major in Teaching.
During her Senior year, she met James “Jim” C. Lewis. They were soon married in 1971 in
Las Vegas, NV. Lela became a stepmother to James and Joyce Lewis.
Lela began teaching in Dugway, UT because Jim worked for the military. They eventually
moved to Salt Lake City, Ut. and began dabbling in real estate. This proved very successful
for them for the rest of their working years. They especially enjoyed fixing up worn houses
and reselling them.
Jim and Lela traveled together in a motorhome for 10 years of their retired lives together.
They lived in 48 states!
Lela loved to learn new things and loved arts and crafts. Her favorite thing to do was to
make something beautiful! She loved gardening, tole-painting, ceramics, and scrapbooking.
In her eighties she learned to quilt and made many beautiful quilts.
Eventually Lela and Jim settled in Southern Utah. This was their favorite place. After Jim
passed away, Lela would choose to live at “The Haven” Assisted Living Center in
Hurricane, Utah. It was truly a haven for her. Her family would like to thank all of the
residents and staff there for treating her as family.
She is survived by sister Nina Shain of Pueblo CO; daughter Lorene Livingston of St.
Helens OR; daughter Joyce (Stacey) Bronson of Ely, NV; son Marc Reynolds of Ely NV;
son Steven (Kirsten) Reynolds of Washington, UT. Lela is also survived by fourteen (14)
grandchildren; twenty-eight (28) great-grandchildren; four (4) great-great-grandchildren and
many nieces and nephews who love her.
Memorial services will be June 15, 2024 at 10:00 a.m. at “The Haven” 2192 W. 100
N. Hurricane, UT. Interment will be at Washington City Cemetery at 12:00pm.
Lela M. Lewis was born on June 15, 1933 in Blythedale, Missouri to Rolla Gordon and
Venona Mae Wisman Shain. Lela had eight siblings. She recalled that there were so many
children in the family that she slept in an attic with four older brothers and sisters.
We are blessed to call her Mother because in the 4th grade, she survived rheumatic fever. It
took two years to recover from this but she was determined to stay alive and stay in school.
She graduated from Blythedale High School and went to work as a waitress in Liberal
Kansas where she met Dick L. Reynolds. She married Dick L. Reynolds on March 1, 1952
in Liberal, KS. Dick and Lela had four children together–Lore, Joyce, Marc and Steven.
Dick and Lela were blessed to have Marc Reynolds as one of their children. Marc was born
with Down Syndrome. Due to the struggles that they encountered raising Marc, they opened
the first school for the disabled in Liberal, Kansas.
Lela moved to Utah after she and Dick parted ways. She was soon baptized into the Church
of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints after arriving in Utah.
Lela worked at Woolworth’s and went to both Brigham Young University and The
University of Utah. She graduated from the University of Utah with a Major in Teaching.
During her Senior year, she met James “Jim” C. Lewis. They were soon married in 1971 in
Las Vegas, NV. Lela became a stepmother to James and Joyce Lewis.
Lela began teaching in Dugway, UT because Jim worked for the military. They eventually
moved to Salt Lake City, Ut. and began dabbling in real estate. This proved very successful
for them for the rest of their working years. They especially enjoyed fixing up worn houses
and reselling them.
Jim and Lela traveled together in a motorhome for 10 years of their retired lives together.
They lived in 48 states!
Lela loved to learn new things and loved arts and crafts. Her favorite thing to do was to
make something beautiful! She loved gardening, tole-painting, ceramics, and scrapbooking.
In her eighties she learned to quilt and made many beautiful quilts.
Eventually Lela and Jim settled in Southern Utah. This was their favorite place. After Jim
passed away, Lela would choose to live at “The Haven” Assisted Living Center in
Hurricane, Utah. It was truly a haven for her. Her family would like to thank all of the
residents and staff there for treating her as family.
She is survived by sister Nina Shain of Pueblo CO; daughter Lorene Livingston of St.
Helens OR; daughter Joyce (Stacey) Bronson of Ely, NV; son Marc Reynolds of Ely NV;
son Steven (Kirsten) Reynolds of Washington, UT. Lela is also survived by fourteen (14)
grandchildren; twenty-eight (28) great-grandchildren; four (4) great-great-grandchildren and
many nieces and nephews who love her.
Memorial services will be June 15, 2024 at 10:00 a.m. at “The Haven” 2192 W. 100
N. Hurricane, UT. Interment will be at Washington City Cemetery at 12:00pm.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Lela Mae Lewis, please visit our flower store.
Service Schedule
Past Services
Memorial Service
Saturday, June 15, 2024
Starts at 10:00 am (Mountain time)
The Haven
Graveside Service
Saturday, June 15, 2024
Starts at 12:00 pm (Mountain time)
Washington City Cemetery
Guestbook
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