Ethel Mayme Miller
1890 - 1970 (80 years)
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Name Ethel Mayme Miller Birth 25 Jan 1890 Annapolis, Iron County, Missouri, USA 
Gender Female familyserch.org ID 21JJ-Y44 Death 04 Dec 1970 Cape Girardeau, Cape Girardeau County, Missouri, USA 
Ethel Lewis nee Miller Obit 
Ethel M Lewis nee Miller Death Certificate Created 09 Aug 2018 Burial Cape County Memorial Park Cemetery, Cape Girardeau, Missouri, USA - Grave 5 - Lot 170 - Section 8
- findagrave memorial #115284711
- Section 8, Lot 170, Grave 2
Ethel-Mayme-Miller-Lewis-gravemarker Notes - !OBITUARY
MRS. ETHEL LEWIS DIED FRIDAY AT CAPE;
WAS BORN AT DES ARC
Mrs. Fred Lewis, long associated with the family business known as Wimpy's Drive in, North Kingshighvay and Cape Rock Drive, died at 1:30 Friday afternoon (Dec. 4, 1970) in a Cape Girardeau nursing home where she had been a patient five years. She had been ill six years.
Mrs. Lewis, 80 years old, was a member of First Presbyterian Church and Cape Navy Mothers League. The family house is at 800 North Kingshighway, Cape Girardeau.
Services were conducted at 2 Sunday afternoon at First Presbyterian Church by the Pastor, Dr. E.C. Brasington, burial in Memorial Park.
The former Miss Ethel M. Miller, Mrs. Lewis was born Jan. 25, 1890, at Des Arc where she married Mr. Lewis in May, 1916.
They moved to Cape Girardeau in 1936 and operated the business with their sons many years, Mrs. Lewis actively engaged in the duties. Mr. Lewis died in 1958.
Survivors include the four sons, Frank M., Francis F., Freeman D. and Billie J. Lewis, and two daughters, Mrs. Truman J. Howard and Mrs. E. Lawrence Bahn Jr., all of Cape Girardeau.
Also surviving are three brothers, W.G. Miller, Amarillo, Tex., Sam
Miller, Jefferson, Iowa, and Posey Miller, Annapolis; three sisters, Mrs. Maude McCormick, Piedmont, Mrs. Elmer Lovelace, Pilot Knob, and Mrs. Charles Dorsey,
Farmington, and twelve grandchildren.
Pallbearers were grandsons of Mrs. Lewis, Taylor and Wm. Bahn, Richard Howard, Robert Lewis, Benny Lewis, Jon Alan Lewis and Duane Lewis.
(WAYNE COUNTY JOURNAL BANNER newspaper ...Piedmont, Wayne County, Missouri... Thursday, December 10, 1970)
Children:
FRANK MILLER LEWIS b.11 Mar 1917
FRANCIS FULTON LEWIS b.31 Oct 1918 d. 1 Jun 1988
FRIEDA ABIGAIL LEWIS b.29 Dec 1920
FREEMAN DALE LEWIS b.20 Jan 1923
MARTHA LETA LEWIS b. 2 Jan 1925
BILLIE JAY LEWIS b. 3 Feb 1929 d. 12 Apr 2005
Research notes courtesy of Linda E. Lewis, George Lewis Descendants, published October 1992. - Written by oldest grandchild - Richard Lewis Howard in May 2023:
Who was your maternal grandmother and what are your memories of her?
Ethel Mayme Miller born 25 January 1890 in Des Arc Missouri, the third child of Jay Lafayette Miller and Martha Eveline King. She was married to Fred Lewis in Des Arc, Missouri on 23 May 1916 when she was 26 years old. A funny and interesting fact about my grandmother was that she sued her to be husband Fred when he broke his promise to marry her. I guess she didn’t want a good man to get away? Everything worked out in the end as they were married an had six children together.
Grandma Ethel was a strong, stern, and no non-sense woman. A living example of a matriarch. Without question, she was the boss! Raising six kids on the farm for 20 years was not easy. When the boys left the farm, it became to much work for them so they left the farm in 1936 and moved into town in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. They bought a house on Henderson Street in Cape Girardeau one block from the state college. For several years grandma and grandpa ran a boarding house for women college students. They still lived at this address when I was born in 1944.
In 1942, their son Freeman Dale Lewis changed the family’s life forever when with a loan from my mother, Frieda, bought a small hamburger stand. They named the business Wimpy’s. Wimpy’s would eventually provide the livelihood for grandma, grandpa and three of their sons families, as well as to grow into three locations in town. It was the first combination drive-in restaurant and food store in town. And a well known and famous stopping place for travelers on highway 61 between Memphis, Tennessee and St. Louis, Missouri.
I have fond memories of this restaurant. Sometimes in the summer time I would help out by carhopping, filling and sorting the soda cases, and restocking shelves in the store. My favorite thing to do as a kid was stocking the cigarette packages in the dispenser by the check-out register. The art work was amazing and colorful and they smelled so good. If you are wondering: “No, I never did smoke.”
Grandma Ethel was a good businesswoman. She and grandpa ran Wimpy’s while their sons were in the service during World War II. But, according to my mother, grandma was the boss. Grandma ran the restaurant and grandpa mostly the food store side. Grandma was a great cook and did most of the cooking for the restaurant. Every morning she would get up early and make homemade pies. They were popular fare with customers. In addition to the famous Wimpy burger and sides they also served meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I didn’t work with grandma. I don’t think she probably had time for a little kid and the kitchen didn’t attract me. She always seemed very busy.
Sometime in the late 1940’s, Grandma and Grandpa Lewis built a house on the property adjacent to Wimpy’s. This house with its three levels was huge to me. My cousins and I spent a lot of time in this house. The third level was not used except for company so it was the play area for all us cousins away from our parents. Sometimes we had sleepovers there. Later on they sublet the basement apartment which became off limits to us kids.
Like I said grandma was a good cook. And she used this to keep her family close. She hosted dinner for the entire extended family for every holiday. These were big get-togethers, with my grandparents, twelve aunts and uncles and twelve of us cousins. They were a big deal and if you missed you had better have a good excuse. My best memories of grandma are from these days we all spent together.
Grandma also had a green thumb when it came to growing things. Obviously from growing up as a farm girl. She had a big enclosed back porch on one side of the house full of pots of flowers and other colorful things. She spent most of her time gardening and doing needlework. I remember all the beautiful lap throws she made for people.
Grandma and Grandpa had the first TV in our family. It was a 21 inch Zenith console. Sunday nights would often be a time family members gathered at grandma and grandpa’s house to watch this new form of entertainment.
My memories of grandma came mostly from observing her as I grew up. She didn’t spend much personal time with me or any of her other eleven grandchildren as for as I know. But, she did have a lot of influence on me from just watching her. I learned the importance of family and that hard work is rewarded. A side observation here. It seems work was never a problem with her offspring. All my twelve aunts and uncles, including my parents worked at jobs outside the home and were successful in their careers. I guess she raised her kids well!
Person ID 79608444 robsgenealogy Last Modified 5 May 2024
Father Jay Lafayette Miller, b. 18 Apr 1858 d. 26 May 1944, Annapolis, Iron County, Missouri, USA (Age 86 years) Mother Martha Eveline (Mattie) King, b. 14 May 1867, Annapolis, Iron County, Missouri, USA d. 06 Apr 1942, Annapolis, Iron County, Missouri, USA (Age 74 years) Marriage 31 May 1885 , Iron County, Missouri, USA - Married by Robert Seal at Bride's parents home.
Jay Lafayette Miller to Martha E King Marriage License Family ID F52862625 Group Sheet | Family Chart
Family Fred Lewis, b. 16 Jan 1881, Annapolis, Iron County, Missouri, USA d. 22 Jul 1958, Cape Girardeau, Cape Girardeau County, Missouri, USA (Age 77 years) Marriage 27 May 1916 Annapolis, Iron County, Missouri, USA Fred and Ethel Lewis Marriage certificate Notes - !MARRIAGE LICENSE STATE OF MISSOURI... COUNTY OF IRON ...This License authorizes any Judge of a Court of Record or any Justice of the Peace, or any licensed or ordained Preacher of the Gospel, who is a Citizen of the United States, or who is a resident ofand a Pastor of any Church in this State to solemnize Marriage between Fred Lewis of Des Arc in the County of Iron and State of Missouri who is over the age of twenty-one years, and Ethel M. Miller of Des Arc in the County of Iron and State of Missouri who is over the age of eighteen years. This is to certify that I did on the 27th day of May unite in marriage Fred Lewis and Ethel M. Miller.
Witness My Hand, as Circuit Clerk and exOfficio Recorder of Deeds with the Seal of Office hereto affixed at my Office in Ironton No this 23rd day of may 1916.
J.M. Hawkins, Circuit Clerk and exOfficio Recorder of Deeds
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STATE OF MISSOURI, COUNTY OF IRON ...This is to Certify, that the undersigned, Fred Lewis and Ethel M. Miller did, at Des Arc in said County, on the 27 day of May A. D. 1916 unite in Marriage the above named persons, and I further certify that I as legally qualified under the Laws of the State of Missouri to solemnize Marriages.
Eld. H. J. Wray.
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The foregoing Certificate of Marriage was filed for Record in my office on the
26 day of June A.D. 1916
J. M. Hawkins, Circuit Clerk and exOfficio Recorder of Deeds
(Copy of certificate obtained from Carolyn Keathley McBurney in June 1991)
!NEWSPAPER ARTICLES
DES ARC ITEMS
Mr. and Mrs. Fred Lewis called while at their old home last Sunday, and said they were all well contented with the new home over at the Cape. (IRON COUNTY REGISTER newspaper... Ironton, Missouri ...January 5, 1939)
!NEWSPAPER ARTICLES
Mr. and Mrs. Fred Lewis and son from Cape Girardeau were here last week to visit his brother, James Lewis and family. They had been to Ironton to visit his sister, Mrs. Tyler Keathley who is ill but we are glad to report her as improved. (DES ARC HARKENINSS column ...THE MOUNTAIN ECHO newspaper ...Ironton, Iron County, Missouri ...Thursday, May 12, 1955)
!OBITUARY
FRED LEWIS, 77, CAPE BUSINESS MAN, DIES, BORN AT ANNAPOLIS
Fred Lewis, 77 years old, president of the Wimpy’s DriveIn and Market, 800 North Kingshighway, Cape Girardeau, died Tuesday night, July 22, at 6:10 at a hospital there where he had been admitted Saturday from the family home at 819 West Cape Rock Drive. Mr. Lewis had been in failing health three months.
Funeral services were conducted last Thursday afternoon at 2 at First Presbyterian Church Cape Girardeau, by the pastor. Rev. C.E. Mount. Interment was in Memorial Park Cemetery.
Pallbearers, all nephews, were Buford Lewis, Howard Lewis, Darwin Lewis, Russell Lewis, Elvis Lewis and Orville Lewis.
Surviving relatives are his wife, Mrs. Ethel Lewis; four sons, Frank, Francis, Freeman and Billie J. Lewis, all of Cape; two daughters, Mrs. Truman Howard and Mrs. E. Lawrence Bahn of Cape Girardeau and 11 grandchildren.
Two brothers surviving are J.M. Lewis of Des Arc and W.W. Lewis of Flat River.
Born January 16, 1881, at Annapolis, he Married Miss Ethel Miller on May 27, 1916. Mr. Lewis engaged in farming until they moved to Cape Girardeau in 1938 from Des Arc. In 1942, he and two of the sons, Freeman and Billie opened the present place ofbusiness. The son, Frank, joined the firm in 1948.
Mr. Lewis was a member of the First Presbyterian Church in Cape Girardeau..
(Thursday, July 31, 1958...Copy of newspaper clipping was received in September 1992 from Mary Lu Politte. She obtained the article from Naomi Lewis Zager)
!NEWSPAPER ARTICLES
Mrs. James Lewis and Darwin Lewis, Mrs. Everett Seal, Mr. and Mrs. Buford Lewis attended the funeral of Fred Lewis at Cape Girardeau last week. Mr. Lewis was born and reared on a farm near Des Arc and had many friends here. His funeral was held from the Presbyterian Church at Cape Girardeau where he was an active member. He leaves his widow, Mrs. Ethel Lewis and a number of children and grandchildren. We sympathize with the bereaved ones.
(THE MOUNTAIN ECHO newspaper ...Ironton, Iron County, Missouri... July 31, 1958)
Research notes courtesy of Linda E. Lewis, George Lewis Descendants, published October 1992.
Children 1. Frank Miller Lewis, b. 11 Mar 1917, Des Arc, Iron County, Missouri, USA d. 19 Apr 2007, Cape Girardeau, Cape Girardeau County, Missouri, USA (Age 90 years)2. Francis Fulton Lewis, b. 31 Oct 1918, Des Arc, Iron County, Missouri, USA d. 01 Jun 1988, Cape Girardeau, Cape Girardeau County, Missouri, USA (Age 69 years)3. Frieda Abigail Lewis, b. 29 Dec 1920, Des Arc, Iron County, Missouri, USA d. 15 Apr 2016, Cape Girardeau, Cape Girardeau County, Missouri, USA (Age 95 years)4. Freeman Dale Lewis, b. 20 Jan 1923, Des Arc, Iron County, Missouri, USA d. 08 Dec 2017, Cape Girardeau, Cape Girardeau County, Missouri, USA (Age 94 years)5. Martha Leta Lewis, b. 02 Jan 1925, Des Arc, Iron County, Missouri, USA d. 05 Mar 2007, Cape Girardeau, Cape Girardeau County, Missouri, USA (Age 82 years)6. Billie Jay Lewis, b. 03 Feb 1929, Des Arc, Iron County, Missouri, USA d. 12 Apr 2005, Cape Girardeau, Cape Girardeau County, Missouri, USA (Age 76 years)Family ID F85639877 Group Sheet | Family Chart Last Modified 1 Apr 2024
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Event Map 
Birth - 25 Jan 1890 - Annapolis, Iron County, Missouri, USA 
Marriage - 27 May 1916 - Annapolis, Iron County, Missouri, USA 
Death - 04 Dec 1970 - Cape Girardeau, Cape Girardeau County, Missouri, USA 
Burial - - Cape County Memorial Park Cemetery, Cape Girardeau, Missouri, USA = Link to Google Earth
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