LARNED — Lloyd George Lewis, 92, known to many friends and family as "Bus," died Monday afternoon at Hays Regional Medical Center, after suffering a heart attack earlier in the day. Lloyd would have been 93 April 27. The previous Saturday Lloyd had driven to his son’s and daughter-in-law’s homes to watch his favorite team, the Kansas Jayhawks, play the Colorado Buffaloes.

Lloyd was born in Jamestown, in 1918, the son of George and Minnie Lewis. Apparently he was named for the prime minister of England at the time, Lloyd George. He was the youngest and last surviving member of eight siblings.

Lloyd married Naomi Bedwell of Belleville, in 1939 in Bisbee, Ariz., and they moved to Larned in 1943. Lloyd was the first father drafted into the armed services from Pawnee County that same year, and served through the end of the World War II.

Lloyd served in England and France in 1944-45. Following the surrender of Nazi Germany in May 1945 Lloyd was sent to the Pacific. En route Japan surrendered. Lloyd served as part of the occupation force in Japan and was stationed near Hiroshima, where the atomic bomb had been dropped a few weeks earlier.

Following the war, Lloyd and his family returned to Larned, where he worked for the Curtiss Candy Company. In 1950 Doerr’s hired him to work in their furniture store, where he became manager in 1952. He retired from Doerr’s in 1984. Shortly thereafter, Doerr’s closed its furniture store. He belonged to the First United Methodist Church and a Life Member of American Legion, both of Larned.

Lloyd and Naomi had three sons: Gerald ("Gerry"), Larned; Richard L., a lifetime Larned resident; and Steven W., Kansas City.

He is survived by his sons, Gerry and Steven; two granddaughters, Carla Battin of Larned and Dana McGovern of suburban St. Louis; a great grandson, Justin McGovern, and two daughters-in-law, Karen and Jewell of Larned.Lloyd was preceded in death by his wife, Naomi, in 2001, and son, Richard, in 2003.

Funeral will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday, Feb. 25, at Morell Funeral Home, Larned, with Rev. Johnny Augmon presiding. Visitation will be from 9 a.m. until 8 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home. Burial will be Larned Cemetery.

Memorials may be sent to the Church, Larned American Legion Baseball Fund or the Pawnee County Humane Society in care of Morell Funeral Home.

Condolences may be left at www.morellfuneralhomellc.com

Funeral arrangements provided by

Morell Funeral Home*

P.O. Box 124

Larned, KS 67550-0124.

Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, Feb. 24, 2011