This column serves as a spotlight, highlighting the everyday people who work and live in Callaway County. The Fulton Sun takes a moment with someone who is not usually featured in the news but is just as instrumental in making our community the strong and beautiful place we all know and love.
A 1978 graduate of Fulton High School, Doug Lewis, 60, left Fulton to join the military. After five years of service, he lived in Florida before eventually moving back home to be closer to family. He married fellow Callaway County native Loretta Lewis. Between the two, Doug and Loretta have five children. On Monday, the two were on a walk on Stinson Creek Trail with their dog Remmi.
Q: What was your first job?
That would be hauling hay with Jack Garner. (Q: Did you like hauling hay?) I didn't know any better. It was probably the worst job I ever had, but I didn't know that it was the worst job that I was ever going to have. Because hauling hay, you go out in the middle of the summer and you pick up little hay bales and put them on the back of the truck. And then you go to the barn and you stack the hay bales in the barn for wintertime for the cattle - it wasn't the big hay bales back then, it's little square bales. And you know the barn was usually about a 130 degrees and dusty.
Q: Who inspires you most?
Oh, well, Jesus Christ has changed my life, how 'bout that? That has definitely turned my life around.
Q: What have you done in life that was most fulfilling?
I'd say the last 10 years married to my wife. It's been very pleasant.
Q: What is something you are proud of or that you've been recognized for?
I'm pretty under the radar, aren't I? (Loretta: I think you're very proud of your military service.) Yeah, I guess I am proud of my military service. I went to some crazy places.
Q: What profession, other than your own, would you like to attempt?
I think being a contractor, building a house from the ground up, would be a challenge but fun at the same time. We're going to try. (The Lewises have plans to build a house next summer)
Q: What profession would you not like to do?
I'm sure it'd be something that has snakes or something up high. I do not want to deal with snakes or anything that's skyscraper-height. (Q: I suppose zookeeper might be out then?) Yes - the reptile cage at the zoo is not what I would want to do. (Laughs)
Q: What is something no one knows about you?
I'm such an open book. I've been completely around the world two times. Nobody would guess that because I live in Fulton. (Laughs) If you're going to put my military career, you have to put Navy Seabee - they are people that go overseas and build bases and hotspots. The way I explain it is if you're watching TV and they say "1500 troops just landed in some country," well where are they staying? Somebody was there before they even got there to build the base.
Q: What is your favorite thing about Callaway County?
I like that even though we're in the city, you can be in the country in just a second. Like our backyard - in our front yard's a subdivision, our backyard's a cow field - and we live just in town. There's plenty of room for the dog to run and just lots of wide open spaces.