Lewis Ray Ussery was born July 5, 1926 in Fort Smith, Sebastian Co., Ar. to Peter McKinley & Hattie Ada Tankersley Ussery. He had a twin sister Joyce Faye Ussery. December 5, 1947 Lewis married Joan Bird, both residents of Fort Smith, Arkansas Ray registered for the military draft July 5, 1944 on his 18th dirthday, at the court house in Fort Smith, Ar. He enlisted in the US Navy. No further information was found on his service. find a grave Lewis Ray Ussery, 88, of Fort Smith died Jan. 5, 2015 in Fort Smith. He was born July 5, 1926, along with his twin sister, Joyce Faye, in Fort Smith to the late Peter McKinley and Hattie Tankersley Ussery. Ray was a graduate of Northside High School, then Fort Smith High School, and was a veteran of the U.S. Navy serving during World War II. Ray was retired from the U.S. Postal Service with 32 years of outstanding service and dedication as a letter carrier. During his postal carrier years, he earned a special achievement award in recognition of notable performance in 1981 and another in 1986 for sustained superior job performance. He also earned the National Safety Council's 20 year expert driver award for exceptional safe driving performance. Ray was a longtime and dedicated member of First Lutheran Church, where he served in many areas for the church and the school. He was awarded the Albert Pansze Jr. Memorial Quiet Disciple Award in 2001 "For labors given in quiet devotion and love throughout his life." He is survived by his wife of 67 years, Joan of the home; a daughter, Deborah Ann Howard of Fort Smith; a son, Thomas Ray Ussery of Barling; a granddaughter, Shannon Rae Howard of Fort Smith; a great-granddaughter, Kennedi Shae Rhoads of Fort Smith; a sister, Alline Greenfield of Norwood, Mo.; and many family and friends too numerous to list here. He was preceded in death by four sisters, twin Faye Wier, Mozelle Cooper, Pauline Brock and Una Sue (Bootsie) Pannell; a brother, Vern Ussery; and son-in-law, Daymon Monroe Howard. Funeral service will be 10 a.m. today at First Lutheran Church with burial to follow at the U.S. National Cemetery in Fort Smith, all under the direction of Edwards Funeral Home. Pallbearers will be Jim Lansdell, Jeff Lee, Bob Lindow, Nick Chastain, Michael Barr, and Kurt Griesse. Honorary pallbearers will be his nephews, Hogan Cooper, Allen Greenfield, Paul Greenfield, Michael Brock, Bruce Brock, Steven Pannell, Mark Bird, Tom Bird and Wayne Bird