SAM LEWIS PICKENS, JR., 87, of Winfield, Kansas, passed away early Monday morning, September 6, 2011 at Wesley Medical Center in Wichita.

Lewis was born March 28, 1924 in Cambridge, Windsor Township, Cowley County, Kansas. He was the son of Sam Lewis and Ruby Florence (Weaver) Pickens. He started grade school in Greenfield Rural School north of Grenola, Elk County, Kansas in September 1930. His family moved to Cambridge in March 1931. From this date to May 14, 1942, Lewis attended and graduated from Cambridge schools.

He worked at Davis Westholt, a Wichita aircraft parts plant in the Quality Control department. He was called up by the draft early in 1943, but received a medical deferment. Lewis was hired by Boeing in October 1943, where he worked in the B29 upper wing panel shop until September 1945. He then attended and graduated from Central Radio and Television School in Kansas City, Missouri and received his 1st class FCC Radio Telephone License in February 1947. He was hired as an announcer-engineer by WTMC radio station in Ocala, Florida in February 1947. He left that job in late 1948 to return to work at Boeing where he worked 39 years until retiring on March 31, 1986.

Lewis was elected president of Cambridge High School Alumni Association for the year 1987, for which he created and distributed four editions of the CHS Alumni Directory. He became very involved in preserving history for the Cambridge, Windsor Township area and also worked with the East Central Cowley County Historical Society. He was a member of the Minneha Baptist Church in Wichita. As well as singing with the Twilighters, Lewis loved to garden and tend his beautiful rural property in Ark City until his move to Cumbernauld Village in 2009.

His family includes:
His brother: Bennie Pickens and wife, Jacqueline of Winfield;
His sister: Phyllis Hudson of Winfield;
And his many nieces and nephews who dearly loved him.

He was preceded in death by his parents and his sister, Lois Mead of Dexter.

Funeral Services will be held on Saturday, September 10, 2011 at 2:00 P.M. at Miles Funeral Service. Interment will follow at Cambridge Cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home on Friday from 4 to 8 P.M. The family will greet visitors from 4 to 6 that evening.

A Memorial has been established in Lewis' name for Cumbernauld Village Resident Activity Fund. Contributions may be made through the funeral home.