LEWIS, Myreel

Kingman Daily Miner, Kingman, AZ - Published on January 15, 2015 - Former Arizona Mother of the Year Myreel Smith Lewis passed away peacefully at home in Kingman on Jan. 12, 2015. She left a legacy of love for family and devotion to God to her 12 children, 75 grandchildren and 183 great grandchildren. She was born Sept. 27, 1920, in Ashurst (Graham County), a descendent of some of Arizona's original settlers. She was raised in Globe, one of five children born to Lorenzo Wickliffe and Blanche Rogers Smith, and studied at Arizona Teachers College (now NAU). She married Malin Wilson Lewis of Mesa in the Arizona Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Dec. 17, 1943. They settled in Ajo, where they purchased the Desert Dairy, later named the Malin Lewis Distributing Co., a milk products distribution business which continues today under the ownership of their son, Malin. All 12 children were born in Ajo. Two of the children - Ardene in 1948 and Selwyn in 1995 - are buried in Ajo. Myreel sang in a popular a capella trio and was very active in the LDS Church, the Desert Music Club and Republican Women. In 1967, the Lewis family moved to Phoenix, where Myreel continued to serve in her church and community. In 1980, she was chosen Arizona Mother of the Year. She had served a mission for the LDS Church in her youth to Virginia and later served two missions with her husband to San Francisco and Mexico City. Myreel and Malin moved to Kingman in 2003 to live with their daughter, Delon Pease, and her family. Malin passed away in Kingman in 2005 at the age of 90. In her later years, Myreel compiled a multi-volume history of her life that serves as a treasure to her family today. She is survived by her brothers Melvin, of Payson, and Norman, of Spanish Fork, Utah; her children Myreel Linton (Larry) of Argyle, Texas, Corwin (Lynette) of Springfield, Ore., Crismon (Vivienne) of Gresham, Ore., Dantzelle Allen (Brad) of St. George, Utah, Stayner (YuFei) of Houston, Texas, Malin (Sally) of Ajo, Irvan 'Wick' (Lynn) of Thatcher, Delon Pease (Clyde) of Kingman, Duraye of Mesa, and Durelle Gimenez (Oscar) of Hartford, Conn. Funeral services will be at noon on Friday, Jan. 16, at the LDS Church, 610 Eastern St., Kingman. The funeral will be preceded by a viewing at 10 a.m. Graveside services and burial will be at noon on Saturday, Jan. 17, in the Mesa City Cemetery, 1212 North Center St., Mesa.