Just a little bit more information about the man.
91-year-old didn't let age slow him or his bike down
The motorcycle enthusiast was killed in a hit-and-run accident.
Olin Lewis (left) is shown with friends Peggy George and LaJuana Moore at Woolaroc last fall. Lewis was killed Saturday in a hit-and-run traffic accident in Tulsa. Courtesy
At an age when most people have long since put down their kickstands and kicked back, Olin Lewis was still taking life the same way he always had — with the wind in his face.
The lifelong motorcycle enthusiast and World War II veteran, who turned 91 in November, logged more than 500,000 miles over his life. And keeping himself in tip-top shape, he continued to rack them up on his latest bike, a Honda Silverwing 600.
"Just last Thursday he made a 130-mile round trip," said close friend LuJuana Moore. "He would go out whenever the weather was nice."
Lewis, a retired farmer, had been a member of the Health Zone, an exercise facility at St. Francis Hospital, for 30 years, and his workouts still impressed and inspired those who knew him.
His faculties were likewise sharp. An expert marksman who enjoyed skeet shooting and photography, Lewis never failed to spot potential hazards while riding his bike.
"He never compromised on safety," Moore said. "Olin was very conscious of the rules of the road and always obeyed them."
Olin Toliver Lewis Jr. died Saturday afternoon when his bike was hit from behind on U.S. 169 near Admiral Place.
Police are still looking for the vehicle that struck him, which they say was speeding and did not stop after the collision.
A memorial service for Lewis is set for 2 p.m. Wednesday at the Rose Hill Memorial Park Abbey Mausoleum Chapel under the direction of Moore's Southlawn Funeral Home.
Moore, who joined the gym with her husband two years ago, and friend Peggy George met Lewis there, and the three became fast friends.
"Olin had this way of ducking his head and grinning," Moore said. "He had this shy, quiet smile and was very self-effacing. We really enjoyed his company."
Besides having lunch together, they also took car trips to see the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve, Woolaroc and other state sites.
Lewis' continuing independence was impressive. Living by himself in an apartment, he was well-known for reaching out to fellow residents, driving them to the doctor or helping them unload groceries.
A computer whiz, Lewis communicated constantly by e-mail.
His friends say they will miss those e-mails and the caring words they always carried.
"I had set out to make his life better, and I had no idea the gift that God was giving me in knowing this man," Moore said.
"He taught me so much. I've never seen anyone who was a better example of a giver."
Born in Pawhuska, Lewis served with the Navy Seabees in Guam and Alaska during World War II.
Peggy Lewis, his wife of more than 50 years, had been his high school sweetheart.
He is survived by three daughters, Judy Vietri, Linda Cantrell and Patricia Namm; and nine grandchildren.
Police are looking for a small, white pickup, possibly an Isuzu, from the 1980s or '90s likely with heavy front-end damage. Anyone with information about the accident is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 596-COPS.
Subject: Silverwing Rider is gone 
Tue Mar 09, 2010 8:25 pm
