Lewis J. Farmer Sr., 91, of Thomasville, N.C., died Monday, March 26, 2012, at the Hospice Home of the Piedmont in High Point. A graveside service will be at 4 p.m. Wednesday in Lexington City Cemetery. He was born Feb. 23, 1921, in Charleston, S.C., to Zack F. Farmer and Lucille N. Farmer. He lived in Charleston and in Andalusia, Ala., before moving to Lexington in 1931 where he lived until 2000. He attended Lexington City Schools, graduated from Lexington High School in 1938, and The Citadel, the Military College of South Carolina, in 1942. He served as a cryptographer in the U.S. Army during World War II and as a military policeman in Japan and Korea after the war. He continued his military service as commander of the Lexington National Guard unit for five years and later received the rank of lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army Reserves. He was an employee of the U.S. Post Office for 35 years and president of Lewis J. Farmer Advertising Sales. He was a member of the American Legion, past president of the Lexington Optimist Club and a member of First Presbyterian Church in Lexington. In retirement, he developed a great love of gardening and was known for his abundant and delicious tomatoes that he loved to share. Lewis was preceded in death by his wife of 48 years, Frances C. Farmer; his sister, Eleanor F. Smith, and her husband, R. Bruce Smith; and his brothers, Lt. Col. Jack N. Farmer and Zack Farmer, who died in childhood.He is survived by three children, Markay F. Carter and husband James Oliver Carter of Wilmington, Janet F. Hartley of High Point and Lewis James Farmer Jr. of Lincolnton; three grandchildren, Oliver Carter III (Virginia) and Frances C. Williams (Yates) of Wilmington and Davis C. Hartley of Raleigh; a great-granddaughter, Virginia Carter Williams of Wilmington; a sister-in-law, Gerda A. Farmer of Bossier City, La.; a brother-in-law, Julian L. Coggins (Regina) of Kannapolis; nephews Robert B. Smith (Martha Ellen), Jerry F. Smith (Aurelia), Dan G. Smith (Sarah) and M. Steve Smith (Charlotte), all of Lexington, Mark A. Farmer (Jill) of San Antonio, Texas, and J. Lamont Coggins Jr. (Carolyn) of Kannapolis; a niece, Linda F. Nance (Don) of Tulsa, Okla.; and many great-nieces and great-nephews. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Frances C. Farmer Nursing Scholarship at Davidson County Community College, P.O. Box 1287, Lexington, NC 27292 or Hospice of the Piedmont, 1801 Westchester Drive, High Point, NC 27262-7009. Piedmont Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. Tags: 1942
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