- Wimpy's co-owner remembered 'the most positive person'
Thursday, April 19, 2007
By Tim Krakowiak ~ Southeast Missourian
One of the owners of a Cape Girardeau fixture has died, but many remember the legacy he helped create.
Frank Lewis, who died Thursday at age 90, worked with his brothers for nearly 30 years at Wimpy's Drive-In, their restaurant/grocery store at 800 N. Kingshighway.
"My father was the most positive person you wanted to meet," said Lynette Williamson, one of Lewis' three children, who lives in St. Louis. "Everyone wanted to stay in touch with him. From the president at SEMO, to the person who would cut his grass, they all knew him by his first name. They'd come in [the restaurant] and say, 'Where's Frank?'"
Wimpy's was the place to be in the 1950s and 1960s, according to Lewis' brother, Freeman, of Cape Girardeau. Freeman Lewis said people would drive to Wimpy's on a Saturday night, then down Broadway, then back to Wimpy's. He said his brother always liked to speak with all the customers.
Wimpy's co-owner Frank Lewis dies Thursday at age 90
Friday, April 20, 2007
By Tim Krakowiak ~ Southeast Missourian
One of the owners of a Cape Girardeau fixture has died, but many remember the legacy he helped create.
Frank Lewis, who died Thursday at age 90, worked with his brothers for nearly 30 years at Wimpy's Drive-In, their restaurant/grocery store at 800 N. Kingshighway.
"My father was the most postive person you wanted to meet," said Lynette Williamson, one of Lewis' three children, who lives in St. Louis. "Everyone wanted to stay in touch with him. From the president at SEMO, to the person who would cut his grass, they all knew him by his first name."
Wimpy's was the place to be in the 1950s and 1960s, according to Lewis' brother, Freeman, of Cape Girardeau. Freeman Lewis said people would drive to Wimpy's on a Saturday night, then down Broadway, then back to Wimpy's. He said his brother always liked to speak with all the customers.
Cape Girardeau was growing and the Lewises decided to sell the land of the family business when a bank was interested in buying the property in 1973. Bill Lewis moved Wimpy's to South Kingshighway, where the business switched to serving breakfast and lunch only, until he closed the doors for good in 1997.
After serving in the U.S. Navy, Frank Lewis started working at Wimpy's in 1947, five years after it opened.
Lewis had other hobbies, including square dancing with his wife, Irene, and fishing at "secret ponds" throughout Cape Girardeau County.
The funeral for Frank Lewis will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at Ford and Sons Mount Auburn Chapel. Friends may call the funeral home from 4 to 8 p.m. today. Burial will be in Cape County Memorial Park.
Frank Lewis
Friday, April 20, 2007
seMissourian.com
Frank Miller Lewis, 90, of Cape Girardeau died April 19, 2007, at Missouri Veterans Home.
He was born in Des Arc, Mo., March 11, 1917, son of Fred and Ethel Miller Lewis.
Frank graduated from high school in Annapolis, Mo. In 1942 he graduated from the U.S. Naval Great Lakes Training Center. From there the Navy sent him to Washington, D.C., where he met his bride to be, Irene Wesa. They were married Feb. 1, 1944, in Ventura, Calif. Frank departed California Dec. 24, 1944, to serve on the island of Tinian in Micronesia.
After the war ended Frank and Irene lived for a while in Conneaut, Ohio, where their first daughter was born. In 1948 the family moved to Cape Girardeau to join the family business, Wimpy's, located at 800 North Kingshighway.
While working at Wimpy's Frank attended Southeast Missouri State University. Through the years this local businessman was president of the local Optimist Club, member of the American Legion, member of the Missouri Restaurant Association, and deacon and elder for many terms at Westminster Presbyterian Church.
He also found time to coach Little League and church basketball teams. His hobbies included square dancing, fishing and gardening.
Survivors include his wife; two daughters, Lynette Williamson of St. Louis, Kathleen Fishel of Gainesville, Fla.; a son, Duane Lewis of Southaven, Miss.; four grandchildren, Bryant Williamson of St. Louis, Alayna Nordstrom of West Kilbride, Scotland, Jenny Lane and Derrick Wesa Lewis of Southaven; three great-grandsons, Andrew and Cooper Lewis of Southaven, and Eric Nordstrom of West Kilbride. He is also survived by a brother Freeman Lewis of Cape Girardeau, and a sister, Frieda Howard of Cape Girardeau.
He was preceded by brothers, Francis and Bill Lewis, and a sister, Leta Bahn.
Friends may call from 4 to 8 p.m. today at Ford and Sons Mount Auburn Funeral Home.
The funeral will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at the funeral home, with the Rev. Grant Gillard officiating. Burial will be in Cape County Memorial Park with military rites provided by Missouri Honors Team.
Memorial contributions may be given to Westminster Presbyterian Church.
Because of family allergies, the family requests no flowers be sent to the service.
- Missouri Veterans Home
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- Wimpy's co-owner remembered 'the most positive person'
Thursday, April 19, 2007
By Tim Krakowiak ~ Southeast Missourian
One of the owners of a Cape Girardeau fixture has died, but many remember the legacy he helped create.
Frank Lewis, who died Thursday at age 90, worked with his brothers for nearly 30 years at Wimpy's Drive-In, their restaurant/grocery store at 800 N. Kingshighway.
"My father was the most positive person you wanted to meet," said Lynette Williamson, one of Lewis' three children, who lives in St. Louis. "Everyone wanted to stay in touch with him. From the president at SEMO, to the person who would cut his grass, theyall knew him by his first name. They'd come in [the restaurant] and say, 'Where's Frank?'"
Wimpy's was the place to be in the 1950s and 1960s, according to Lewis' brother, Freeman, of Cape Girardeau. Freeman Lewis said people would drive to Wimpy's on a Saturday night, then down Broadway, then back to Wimpy's. He said his brother always liked to speak with all the customers.
Wimpy's co-owner Frank Lewis dies Thursday at age 90
Friday, April 20, 2007
By Tim Krakowiak ~ Southeast Missourian
One of the owners of a Cape Girardeau fixture has died, but many remember the legacy he helped create.
Frank Lewis, who died Thursday at age 90, worked with his brothers for nearly 30 years at Wimpy's Drive-In, their restaurant/grocery store at 800 N. Kingshighway.
"My father was the most postive person you wanted to meet," said Lynette Williamson, one of Lewis' three children, who lives in St. Louis. "Everyone wanted to stay in touch with him. From the president at SEMO, to the person who would cut his grass, they all knew him by his first name."
Wimpy's was the place to be in the 1950s and 1960s, according to Lewis' brother, Freeman, of Cape Girardeau. Freeman Lewis said people would drive to Wimpy's on a Saturday night, then down Broadway, then back to Wimpy's. He said his brother always liked to speak with all the customers.
Cape Girardeau was growing and the Lewises decided to sell the land of the family business when a bank was interested in buying the property in 1973. Bill Lewis moved Wimpy's to South Kingshighway, where the business switched to serving breakfast and lunch only, until he closed the doors for good in 1997.
After serving in the U.S. Navy, Frank Lewis started working at Wimpy's in 1947, five years after it opened.
Lewis had other hobbies, including square dancing with his wife, Irene, and fishing at "secret ponds" throughout Cape Girardeau County.
The funeral for Frank Lewis will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at Ford and Sons Mount Auburn Chapel. Friends may call the funeral home from 4 to 8 p.m. today. Burial will be in Cape County Memorial Park.
Frank Lewis
Friday, April 20, 2007
seMissourian.com
Frank Miller Lewis, 90, of Cape Girardeau died April 19, 2007, at Missouri Veterans Home.
He was born in Des Arc, Mo., March 11, 1917, son of Fred and Ethel Miller Lewis.
Frank graduated from high school in Annapolis, Mo. In 1942 he graduated from the U.S. Naval Great Lakes Training Center. From there the Navy sent him to Washington, D.C., where he met his bride to be, Irene Wesa. They were married Feb. 1, 1944, in Ventura, Calif. Frank departed California Dec. 24, 1944, to serve on the island of Tinian in Micronesia.
After the war ended Frank and Irene lived for a while in Conneaut, Ohio, where their first daughter was born. In 1948 the family moved to Cape Girardeau to join the family business, Wimpy's, located at 800 North Kingshighway.
While working at Wimpy's Frank attended Southeast Missouri State University. Through the years this local businessman was president of the local Optimist Club, member of the American Legion, member of the Missouri Restaurant Association, and deacon and elder for many terms at Westminster Presbyterian Church.
He also found time to coach Little League and church basketball teams. His hobbies included square dancing, fishing and gardening.
Survivors include his wife; two daughters, Lynette Williamson of St. Louis, Kathleen Fishel of Gainesville, Fla.; a son, Duane Lewis of Southaven, Miss.; four grandchildren, Bryant Williamson of St. Louis, Alayna Nordstrom of West Kilbride, Scotland, Jenny Lane and Derrick Wesa Lewis of Southaven; three great-grandsons, Andrew and Cooper Lewis of Southaven, and Eric Nordstrom of West Kilbride. He is also survived by a brother Freeman Lewis of Cape Girardeau, and a sister, Frieda Howard of Cape Girardeau.
He was preceded by brothers, Francis and Bill Lewis, and a sister, Leta Bahn.
Friends may call from 4 to 8 p.m. today at Ford and Sons Mount Auburn Funeral Home.
The funeral will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at the funeral home, with the Rev. Grant Gillard officiating. Burial will be in Cape County Memorial Park with military rites provided by Missouri Honors Team.
Memorial contributions may be given to Westminster Presbyterian Church.
Because of family allergies, the family requests no flowers be sent to the service.
- Written in 2001:
To the best of Frank's memory, this is what he remembers about farm life
before and during the depression. Since he wrote it down, I think it is
too interesting not to send it out, even if it is too late for Erika.
Frank grew up on a farm that his father bought from one of his brothers
in 1922. The house was a large white house with 4 bedrooms upstairs,
with a balcony, which was located on top of the front porch. They had a
large barn and 5 other out buildings. Frank was 5 years old at that
time. The farm was 180 acres that was homesteaded, he thinks, by his
dad's father. His father bought a team of mules and a new wagon that was
built by his brother-in-law at a blacksmith shop in DesArc. They raised
their own corn and plenty of vegetables from the garden. They had peach,
plum, and apple trees. Picked wild black-berries and dew berries. His
dad purchased some white-faced heirford cattle to start a herd . They
farmed about 80 acres and 40 acres was in hay crops and the balance was
in timber. They raised wheat for flour and they also planted white corn
that had their cornmeal ground out of it. They raised sorghum cane and
made their own sorghum mollasses and sold some of it for a dollar a
gallon. They also tapped maple trees and made maple syrup, which they
sold.
All the farm land was fenced so all the hogs, cattle, sheep were out on
the range in the summer time. They did not keep these animals in the
fenced area in the summer time. The hogs stayed out all winter and got
hat in the fall on oat acorns. They also had about 50 white goats.
They lived in the hills the year around and in the summer, they would
come home for salt and dad would catch a young billy goat whichthey would
eat for their meat, which most people called it mutton. It really tasted
good after eating ham, bacon, and fresh pork all winter.
In 1928 , Dad bought a Model T Ford, and they did not have to travel to
church and into town in a wagon.
They hauled some logs to town for some cash money to buy groceries.
They always milked 15 to 30 cows, which were in the hills in the
summertime and wouldcome home in the evening to feed their calves. They
would separate the cream from the milk and store in the spring house, and
ship the cream from Des Arc to St. Louis, and use the money to buy
coffee, sugar, flour and things they needed.
The crash came in 1929 and they had fair crop and could feed the two
teams and the 80 head of cattle but they used all the feed that winter.
The local bank closed. In the spring of 1930, they planted corn and a
garden but it was so dry, nothing came up--no potatoes or vegetables
grew. They did carry water and raised some tomatoes. They had to sell
all the cattle to the government for $10 a head as they could not raise
any hay or other crops because of the weather being so hot and dry.
Life was hard in the winter of 1930 and 1931. Money was really scarce.
Mother did get a job in town distributing government food to people and
taught sewing to women so they could make their own clothes. He thinks
they bought feed in the winter to feed the 4 cows and the team from the
government on credit, which Frank thinlks they had to pay back later.
The team and the cows were turned out in the hills for pasture. They
would hunt up the mules so they could till the farm and plant their
crops. Did have a good crop the fall of 1931.
Not much about the depression but life was pretty bleak at that one
year when we lost the cattle, sheep and most of the hogs as they
didn'thave any feed for them.
Love,
Frank and Irene
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