Samuel Sheldon Lewis Jr.

December 6, 1941 ~ March 16, 202

Samuel Sheldon Lewis Jr., age 79, passed away March 16, 2021 surrounded by his family, after a long illness.

Sam was born in Mesa, AZ on December 6, 1941 to Sam and Ellenor Lewis. He was the second of nine children and always said he had a Tom Sawyer, Huckleberry Finn like childhood. He spent many years working on the family farm, picking cotton, selling watermelon, making homemade rockets, having milk fights with his cousin as he milked the cows, fishing, swimming, and camping in the White Mountains of Arizona.

After graduating from Mesa High School, he was called to serve a mission in Northern California for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He said his mission changed his life. He loved the people he met and served and had over 100 baptisms.

After returning from his mission, Sam met his sweetheart, Erlene Cluff, at a church dance. They were married September 25, 1964 in the Mesa Arizona Temple.

Sam worked as a fireman in Mesa for about 10 years and owned his own successful cleaning business. In 1975, Sam moved his family to Blanding, UT where he worked for the San Juan School District. He built his own house without any previous experience and loved planting a huge garden every year. He always planted more than we needed and would share the surplus with neighbors and friends. He took great pride in doing a job well done. He worked hard his whole life and would do anything for his family and those he loved.

He spent a lot of time fishing, camping, and exploring San Juan County. He loved driving up Blue Mountain and would buy a milkshake for whoever saw the first deer.

Sam was a great storyteller and enjoyed cooking and making his famous chimichangas, roast beef gravy with mashed potatoes, Dutch oven potatoes, goulash, and the best rolls in the world.

He spent many years in the Scouting organization and served in the Sunday School, Bishopric, and Stake Mission Presidency where he enjoyed working with the missionaries and serving on the reservation.

Sam’s greatest treasures were his family, whom he loved dearly, and his testimony of the gospel. He was very proud of his beautiful children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

Sam is survived by his loving wife Erlene and eight children, Shelley (Wade) Binks, Sherri (Greg) Calder, Sheldon (Nicole) Lewis, Darrell (Rebecca) Lewis, Linnae (Taylor) Lyman, Larry (Natalie) Lewis, Marci (Jon) Henderson, and Peggy (Matt) James; 33 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren; three brothers; and two sisters.

Services will be held Saturday, March 27, 2021 at 11 a.m. pacific standard time in the LDS Stake Center located at 400 South Water Street, Henderson, NV.

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