Henry Lewellen

Henry Lee Lewellen, 95, of Artesia, New Mexico, passed away on April 8, 2023, in San Angelo, Texas.

Visitation is scheduled from 4:00-6:00 pm on Wednesday, April 12th at Terpening & Son Mortuary . Funeral services will be held at 10:00 am on Thursday, April 13th at the First Baptist Church of Artesia. Burial will follow at Woodbine Cemetery.

Henry was born in Haskell County, Texas on June 18, 1927 to Frank and Blanche Lewellen and graduated from Mattson Consolidated School in 1945. He served in the United States Army in Korea from August 1945 till February of 1947 as a Platoon Sergeant. His career in the oil field started shortly after returning home when he got a job with a seismograph crew "doodlebugging" across Texas and New Mexico. Henry met his future wife, Martha Randolph, on Easter Sunday in 1950 at the First Baptist Church in Hobbs, New Mexico. Henry and Martha were married on July 6, 1951, and were blessed with two sons, Randy and Scotty. He continued his oil field career becoming a pumper for Amoco Petroleum and moved his family to Artesia in 1960. Henry loved being outdoors and was an avid gardener, hunter and fisherman, taking many people quail hunting in the sand dunes around Artesia and fly fishing in the mountains of Colorado. Henry was blessed to retire at an early age and they enjoyed many summers at the campgrounds in Colorado with family and friends (old and new), passing on his love of fishing to several generations.

Henry is survived by his son, Scott Lewellen of Lovington, NM; daughter-in-law Kathy Lewellen of San Angelo, TX; granddaughters Kelly Kerby and husband Trey, Kendra Holms and husband Nick, Erin Cummings, Lisa Russell and husband Keith, Kacci Jacoby and husband Tom; great-grandchildren Kooper and Tessa Kerby, McKenzie, Benjamin, and Aliyah Holms, Ella Cummings, Adalynn Russell, Gage and Levi Jacoby. Henry was preceded in death by his wife Martha; son, Randy Lewellen; parents, Frank & Blanche Lewellen; brothers A. J. & Charlie Lewellen; sisters, Mary Toliver & Billie Lawson; daughter-in-law Debbie Lewellen; and grandson-in-law Dave Cummings.

Pallbearers will be Trey & Kooper Kerby, Nick & Benjamin Holms, Keith Russell, Tom, Gage, & Levi Jacoby.

The family would like to express their thanks to Baptist Retirement Community of San Angelo for the exceptional loving care given to Henry the last 5 years.

Gifts to honor Henry may be made to the New Mexico Baptist Children's Home in Portales, New Mexico.