Marvin Dean Lewis, son of Dorothy Lucile Adkins and Emory Lewis was born August 9,1937 in rural Wilmot, Cowley County, Kansas in the Lewis home that was on the Eastman Oil Field Lease.
At the age of 14 Marvin started working for his second cousin Melvin Lewis, owner of Lewis Chevrolet in Burden, working as a mechanic in the garage and driving eighteen wheelers for Melvin's trucking business.
Marvin and Eva Marie Stewart of Winfield KS were married on May 18, 1956 in the Burden Baptist church and celebrated their 47th anniversary in May 2003.
Marvin served in active military duty with the United States Air Force from 1958 to 1962. He was stationed in Oregon, Texas, and Mississippi.
After receiving an honorable discharge he attended Southwestern Oregon College in North Bend, Oregon receiving his associates degree. He continued his education at the University of Arizona in Tucson. Twenty-one days after his discharge Marvin had his private flying license.
In 1957 Marvin started flying part time with COOS Aviation in North Bend, Oregon as a charter pilot. He soon received his Instructor's license for private pilots and Eva was his first student. She was also his first student when he received his instructor license for commercial flying. During these early years of flying he ferried planes from Cessna in Wichita KS to the west coast.
Marvin enjoyed outdoors sports of hunting and fishing and was the owner of two champion Brittany Spaniels which placed him on the cover of The American Brittany Spaniel Magazine.
In 1965 his full time commercial career in flying began and after flying 32 years as an commercial airline pilot, flying 707's, 727's and F-100's with Braniff, Piedmont and US Air Marvin retired as a Captain in 1997.
Marvin flew military troops into Vietnam for four years, and was awarded a Certificate of Recognition from the United States Air Force for his performance of outstanding service to the United States of America. He was also recognized for his participation in sustained Aerial support of the United States Armed Forces engaged in Combat operation within the Republic of South Vietnam.
In 1972 Marvin and Eva bought some land outside Sunset Texas and a few registered purebred Simmental Cattle for a new adventure. This investment soon became the Astronomy Ranch with Champion recognized cattle.
An intense interest in his family heritage kept him very busy with an unending genealogy search finding and meeting many wonderful cousins. (A sample of his work) In 2000 he instigated a first time Adkins family reunion in Guthrie, Oklahoma. This is near the Adkins family cabin at Merrick OK which was built by his great grandfather James Columbia Adkins. (Pictures of Cabin)
In April 2001 he started giving private flying lessons and received a Gold Seal Instructor's Award for having his first 10 students pass on there first check ride.
