Elizabeth Anne (Painting) Lewis, age 95, of Norman, passed away October 3, 2021.  She was born February 2, 1926, in Lawrence, Massachusetts, the youngest of two daughters, to the late Harry Painting and Eudora Wade (Simonds) Painting.  Bettye worked as a TWA Stewardess in her younger years.  During World War II, she was a Riveter on plane assemblies for the war efforts.

 

As a child, Bettye lived in Panama while the Canal was being built, and she later graduated from Battlefield Park High School in Mechanicsville, VA.  She married Carl Dean Lewis on December 30, 1948, in Philadelphia, PA.  Bettye and her husband lived in several locations in the United States, Japan, Philippines, Italy and Germany.  Tinker AFB was the last Duty Station from which her husband retired in January 1978.  They moved to Norman in 1973, where she resided until her death.

 

Bettye enjoyed sewing, photography, traveling and cooking.  She also had a love of animals, especially dogs and cats.

 

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Carl Dean Lewis; daughter, Barbara Jean (Lewis) Brown; and sister, Harriett Simonds (Painting) Young.

 

Bettye is survived by her son, Gregory Lewis and his wife Ella; grandchildren, Sabrina Lewis, Amanda Brown, Adam Lewis and his wife Christina; great grandchildren, Joshua Lewis, Harley Black, Michaela Lewis, Lovella Lewis, Gabriel Black, Avery Lewis, Dakota Hatton and Gavin Lewis; nephew, Richard Young, Jr.; niece, Susan Dietrich and her husband Douglas; and great niece, Stacey Dietrich.

 

The family wishes to give special thanks to Bettye’s dedicated caregivers, Vanessa, Latara, Bennie and Alyssa, for their care and compassion.