Simone Vertongen Lewis, a native of Paris, France and resident of Springfield, MO for the last 26 years, was born on April 26, 1925 and passed away Tuesday, November 26, 2019 in Marshfield, MO. She is the daughter of the late Wilfried and Jeanne (Delmans) Vertongen.
Simone spent her childhood living in the 1ere arrondissement of Paris. Her advanced studies were completed at L’Ecole Polytechnique in Paris. After receiving her degree in engineering, she worked in the city at Thales in radio communications for five years.
Simone met her husband, Captain Earl S. Lewis, when he came to Paris as a US Air Force fighter pilot in 1954. They were married in the American Cathedral of Paris in 1955. The couple followed Earl’s military career at US Air Force bases in Great Falls, MT and Del Rio, TX. Upon retirement, they moved to Theodosia, MO until his death in 1992.
As a military spouse, Simone was active in unit activities and the Red Cross. She moved to Springfield in 1993 where she became an active part of the Military Officers’ Association of America widows’ group and continued her interest in technology through computer courses atThe Library Center. She befriended the French Exchange Officers’ assigned to Fort Leonard Wood and participated in a French language group on the base. In Springfield, she was the “fondatrice” of a French conversation group, La Table.
Simone spent her last days with the generous family of Celestino “Cy” and Anita Chavez, whom were greatly supported by Michele Leake and Kim McKlintic. She leaves behind many devoted francophone friends of La Table. She will also be missed by her family in Oklahoma, Sherry Shenold with her family and Brent Turner and his family in Pennsylvania and in Holland: Yves and Margaret Strijbosch, Guy Strijbosch, Marie-Francoise Strijbosch, Denise Strijbosch-Meitner and Theo Strijbosch.
Funeral Mass services for Simone will be Monday, Dec. 2, 2019 at 10:30 a.m. in The Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Marshfield, MO with a visitation prior to services from 10:00 a.m. to service time in the church. Graveside committal will be Monday, Dec. 2nd at 1:00 p.m. in the Springfield National Cemetery, 1702 E. Seminole, Springfield, MO. Officiating will be Father Mark Binder. Memorials may be made to the Greene County Public Library. Services are being conducted by Clinkingbeard Funeral Home, Ava, MO.
