A day in the life.... Fellowship Square Resident, Lew
Lew is an active participant in the Fellowship Square Phoenix community, playing bingo once a week, participating in the special activities, hitting up the fitness room a few times a week, taking walks and enjoying a lot of naps! However, one would never guess that Lew is 97 years of age. With a twinkle in his eye, and a sparkle in his smile, Lew is a great conversationalist and can execute a great joke!
Lew was in the Navy Air Force as an RM3C from 1940-1943 in World War II, where he served as a dive bomber radio and radar operator and tail gunner. He then was stationed in Pearl Harbor, arriving just two days after the Japanese bombing, where he rose to the rank of Aviation 3rd Class. Lew always loved to fly because he “likes to be in charge” and he used his electrical engineering background to start three companies after his service in the military and continued to fly throughout his career.
Enjoying the occasional trip to Deer Valley Airport to watch planes land and depart, Lew was introduced to the Ageless Aviation Dreams Foundation Program by one of his five children. He described the experience, getting to fly in a Boeing Stearman byline, the very plane that was used to train many military personnel in the 1940s, as “birthday and Christmas rolled into one.” Lew adds, “Being in the plane and up in the air brought back so many wonderful memories.” All of his children were in attendance to watch their father enjoy this experience.
Lew and Ruth, his wife of 71 years, have lived at Fellowship Square for 12 years. “I have never been disappointed in all the years we’ve been here,” he says. “The food is hard to beat and the office and staff service are great. People here really go out of their way to make you feel at home or to help with a problem.”
