Louis "Louie" Earnest Lemons

Louis Earnest Lemons

Funeral services for Louie Earnest Lemons, age 90, were held at 10 a.m. Monday, October 10, 1944, at Bader Funeral Home in Lusk with Rev. Larry Bartlett officiating. Burial followed in the Lusk Cemetery with graveside services by Elks Lodge #1797.

Mr. Lemons died early Friday morning, October 7, 1994, at the Niobrara County Nursing Home in Lusk. He was born August 17, 1904, in Russett, Oklahoma Territory, the son of John Martin and Mattie Vincent Lemons. He attended schools in the communities of Frisco, Scullin and Hickory, Okla. He received his G.E.D Equivalent Degree on June 1, 1921. He quit school after reaching the 10th grade and began farming with his father. He then worked as a lineman doing power line construction.

Louie married Ida Mae Elliott on June 24, 1928. They were the parents of two children, Earnest Rae and Leta Jo. Louie and Mae did share farming in the Scullin Community until 1935 when they moved to the Frisco Community and continued farming. In 1941, they moved back to Scullin where he drove a flatbed truck for the Kraft Cheese Plant. He picked up raw milk from dairy farmers. He drove the truck back and forth from Scullin to Sulpher where the Kraft Cheese Plant was located; then north to Pauls Valley, picking up cans of milk and leaving empty cans before returning to the plant and then home. His job was vital to the war effort as all the products manufactured by Kraft Cheese went to the military. He was frozen in his job and could not be fired, could not quit or be drafted.

After World War II he again worked in highline construction. He was a tamping crew foreman, framing crew foreman and a lineman for various companies. He came to Lusk in April 1952 with the Mulliniz Construction Company. He ran the tamping crew, tamping in power poles. The line foreman said he could look at a line that Louie had set and know that he did it for all the poles were in a straight line. After the construction job was over, he stayed in Lusk working at various jobs including tending bar for Mike Miller at the Silver Dollar Bar and as a station attendant for Charlie Christian at the Northside station. He worked on the Niobrara County High School, the Highway Department building and on the Highway Department improvements on Main Street, including the bridge on the Niobrara River. He moved to Sheridan in 1974 where he held various jobs and returned to Lusk in 1986. He resided in the Ranger building until he entered the Niobrara County Nursing Home in February 1994.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Ida Mae, a brother Bill and two grandsons.

Survivors include one son Earnest and his wife Alma of Lusk; one daughter, Leta Jo Helvey of Sheridan; one brother, Paul Lemons and his wife Sarah of Sulpher, Okla.; grandchildren, Roger Lemons and wife Linda of Powell; Cindy Santistevan, Leon Lemons and wife Wendy of Lusk; Roberta Glantz, Rod Helvey and wife Janice, all of Sheridan; and Don Helvey of Phoenix, Ariz.; great-grandchildren, Chris Santistevan serving with the U.S. Marines in Okinawa; James Stantistevan and wife Missy, Randi Santistevan all of Lusk; Jackie Santistevan of Sheridan; Mike Santistevan and wife Meissa of Casper; Shana, Newley, Trevor and Teffnee Lemons of Lusk; Ty and Coy Lemons of Powell; Destiny Glantz, and R. J. Glantz, Katie Ball, Amos Helvey and Hannah Helvey; great-great-grandchildren, Noel, Travis, Phillip, and Magan Santistevan and Dallas Mitchell.

For those who wish memorials to the Lusk Senior Center will be appreciated by the family.

Bader Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

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