Mary Lewis

Mary Jo Simmons Lewis, 86, of Borger passed away on Tuesday, March 16, 2010 in Amarillo.

Services will be at 1100 a.m. Saturday at the First Baptist Church. Interment will be in Roselawn Garden at Highland Park Cemetery under the direction of MintonChatwell Funeral Directors of Borger.

Mary Jo was born on October 3, 1923 in Memphis, TX to Susan Matilda Hunt Simmons and Leiceser Demoin Simmons. Her family also lived in Walters, OK before moving to Olney, TX where she graduated from High School and then went on to obtain her MS in Business from Baylor University in Waco, TX.

Mrs. Lewis, a 57 year resident of Borger was preceded in death by her husband of 46 years, Clifton E. Lewis who was an electrical engineer for Phillips Petroleum Co. in Borger, as well as her mother, Sudie Susan Matilda Hunt Simmons of Olney, TX, her father Leicester Demoin Simmons of Sunnymead, CA, and her brother Loyd Donald Simmons of San Diego, CA.

The couple was well known as the owners and operators of Cliffside Cabins in Red River, NM from approximately 1949 until its closing in 1996.

Mary Jo was a dedicated homemaker, wife and mother as well as a community leader and very active in both Borger and Red River communities. In Borger she was an active member of the First Baptist Church, and a member as well as president of the Hutchinson County Community Forum, American Association of University Women, Twentieth Century Club and the Art Group. She worked with the Brownies, Boy Scouts and the Hospital Volunteers. In Red River she was a member of the Chamber of Commerce and always participated in the community affairs such as the Chuck Wagon dinners and the Fourth of July celebrations. She was best known for greeting old friends and customers on the steps of Cliffside Cabins with a smile and that true spirit of friendship that made her one of a kind as she guided people to sites or activities of interest or invited them in for a fish fry, green chili stew, jalapeno ice cream or a Mongolian hot pot party. Her interests covered everyone and almost anything, but she especially loved people, cooking, sewing, copper tooling, stain glass, chalk painting, sculpture and helping others.

Mary Jo is survived by her children Mary Gail Lewis of Borger, Richard C. Lewis of Richmond, TX, John L. Lewis of San Francisco, CA, sister Betty Jean McGinnis of Wichita Falls, two grandsons Justin S. Edwards of Borger, Regan Pollock of Burnett, TX, one greatgrandchild Jillian Marie Pollock, and cousin Nell Liverett of San Antonio.

Visitation with the family will be from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Friday at the funeral home in Borger.

The family request any donations be made to the First Baptist Church Mission Fund, Box 470, Borger 790080470.

Service

Funeral Service

First Baptist Church
100 S. Hedgecoke
Borger, TX  79007
Saturday, March 20, 2010
11:00 a.m.

Cemetery

Highland Park CemeteryH
931 Sterling St.
Borger, TX  79007

Memorial Contributions

PO Box 470
Borger, TX  79008