Anita Lewis

Anita Lewis passed away Wednesday, April 9th 2014, after losing a four year battle with Alzheimer's, she was 74 years of age. Anita was born March 23, 1940 in Boston, Massachusetts to Oscar and Anna May Benson. She is survived by her husband Jerry D. Lewis of Wickenburg and step-daughter Debra Lewis of Wickenburg, her grandchildren: Crystal K. Davis of Gold Canyon, Arizona and Jerid A. Lewis of Gilbert, Az., two sisters, Linnea Whelan of Squantum, MA and Elaine Benson of Berwick, MA., two brothers both of Walpole, MA, Albert Benson and Viktor Benson. Anita graduated from and all girls school in Boston and was hired by Boston General Hospital where she was employed for several years. In 1961 she took a trip to Bremerton, Washington and fell in love with the Northwest and never returned to Boston to live. In 1966 the aura of Alaska found her and she loaded up her trusty Mustang with her dog and personal belongings and drove the Alcan Highway to Anchorage, Alaska. She landed a job right away with a large construction company and in a very short time an oil well drilling company hired her away to be in charge of their office. Anita was a very active person, she was a licensed pilot, a whiz at computers, proof reader, typist, typing 100 words per minute without mistake, made quilts and needle point, grew orchids and roses. She was 99, the women's flying group started by Amelia Earhart in the 1930s. In short order she was elected to President of the Alaska group of 99s. She led a group of lady pilots in seven airplanes from Anchorage to Prudhoe Bay visiting the oil fields and returning with all seven airplanes. Anita was a member of the Desk and Derrick Club, the Soroptimist Club, and of course the Alaska 99s. In 1980 she was offered a job in California as office manager with Lewis Oil Distributing and accepted. Anita loaded up her airplane with a tent, sleeping bags, stove and other camping items and a good lady friend of hers an off they flew from Anchorage to Seattle to Boston. On the return trip to California her brothers drew straws to determine which one would fly with her, her brother Albert won the trip. In 1981 Anita married the owner of Lewis Oil Distributing, Jerry D. Lewis. In 1988 the Lewis's sold their business, retired and moved to Eagle Roost Air Park in Aguila, Arizona. In 2002 they sold the place in Aguila and moved to Wickenburg, AZ. Anita was a beautiful, very caring person, she will be missed. A memorial for Anita will be held at a later date.