Funeral service for Lewis S. Reese, 93, of Fairview, will be held at 1:00 p.m., April 1, 2013 at First United Methodist Church in Fairview, Oklahoma, officiated by Reverend Rich Redinger. Arrangements are by Fairview Funeral Home, Inc.

Lewis was born September 1, 1919 in Fairview to Claud and Inez (McGinnis) Reese and passed away March 29, 2013 at the Fairview Regional Medical Center.

As a young child Lewis was an avid fisherman and hunter. He won numerous awards for his marksmanship. He graduated from Fairview High School in 1935 and went on to study at Oklahoma State University.

Lewis enrolled in the Civilian Pilot Training Program to pursue his dream of becoming an Army Air Corps Pilot. In May 1942 Lewis was sworn into the Air Force. Before being deployed he and Margy Baker married on July, 18, 1942. In September he received his orders to report to Santa Ana, California for basic training. From their he got his basic pilot training in Hueneme, California and then went to advanced twin-engine pilot training at Yuma, Arizona.

The next two years Lewis spent in the US training other young pilots. In 1944 he was sent to Dodge City to train on the B-26. He had 30 hours flying time in the B-26 when they told him he was going to Barksdale to pick up his crew. When he arrived in Germany he flew as co-pilot on his first combat mission and after that he flew 15 straight missions in a row. Lewis flew a total of 22 combat missions while only getting credit for 17 of those missions.

After the war, Lewis was detailed to the 344th Bomb Group in Belgium to help clean up some of the massive piles of unexploded ordnance, surplus material and debris left in the wake of the war. He returned home in late 1945 and after several years of farming he took a job as a civilian aircraft maintenance officer for the Air Force. He started on as a pilot with the Air Force Reserve flying a variety of cargo aircraft until 1972. Lewis's flying career came to an end in 1972, when another flight surgeon discovered his hearing problems. He was grounded after more than 7000 hours of flight and 32 years after he was first disqualified by his right ear.

He loved to go to and have garage sales and collect stuff, especially guns. Lewis spent a lot of time fixing broken items he picked up. Lewis, Margy and Betty Lou loved to travel. In the winter they would travel to Port Aransas and Rock Port, Texas, spent summers in South Fork, Colorado. They were members of several bridge clubs and enjoyed the fellowship.

Lewis is survived by his wife Margy of the home, two daughters, Jean Ann (Jeanie) and husband David Galloway of Fairview and Betty Lou Reese in Edmond, Oklahoma; one daughter-in-law, Michele Reese; five grandchildren; eight great grandchildren and his longtime companion Popcorn.

He was preceded in death by his parents, one son, Robert "Bob" L. Reese, one sister, Dorothy Baker Cornelson and two brothers, Claude Reese Jr. and Charles Reese.

Memorials may be made to charity of the donor's choice with the Fairview Funeral Home acting as custodian.

Condolences can be made online at www.fairviewfuneralhomeinc.com.