Lewis
Hill, 85Bemidji - Lewis Hill, 85, died Wednesday, February 17, 1999 at North Country Regional Hospital in Bemidji.
Memorial services were held on Saturday, February 20 at 4:30 p.m. at First Baptist Church in Bemidji.
Lewis Rightmire Hill was born on August 8, 1913 in Cowiche, WA, the son of Martin and Addean (Rightmire) Hill. Lewey grew up in Winnebago, MN.
At the age of 24, he joined the U.S. Navy and spent 24 years in the service. Except for six and one-half years of recruiting duty, Lewey was at sea. During World War II he spend two and one-half years in the Aleutian Islands. He was also stationed aboard the battleship Arizona shortly before it sank during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Later in the war he spent time in the Marshall Islands.
Following World War II Lewey served on Guam, Kwajelien and during the Korean Conflict in 1950. He was stationed on five destroyers and two destroyer escorts-radar during his time on shipboard. He was awarded many medals including the Silver Star.
Recruiting duty was divided between tours in the Los Angeles, CA area and the Fargo, ND district which included Thief River Falls. In 1960 he was married to Edith Delight Efteland in Grand Forks, ND.
After his retirement from the Navy, Lewey served as a Veteran's Service officer and worked as an insurance representative.
Lewey was an active volunteer who served as a counselor at Lake Bronson Bible Camp, Big Stone for Christ and Armstrong, Canada. He was a Big Brother, youth leader, Boy Scout leader and den "mother." Later he led church services at the nursing home in Clearbrook and drove people who needed rides around town.
His interests included reading, gardening, talking about his Navy days, flipping channels on the television and short term traveling. Lewey is survived by his wife, Edie; one daughter, Linda Hill of Bemidji; one son, Rodney (Julie) Hill of Isanti; two grandchildren; one sister, Margaret Hill of Shoreview; sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law and many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents and three brothers, Bob, Don and Jim. A00003B1999FB24