Lewis Wayne Bottoms, age 77, of Clinton, Missouri, passed away Friday, April 15, 2016 at Clinton Healthcare & Rehab, Clinton. Graveside memorial services will be 1:00 pm Thursday, April 21, 2016 at Englewood Cemetery, Clinton, Missouri. Family suggests memorial contributions to the American Cancer Society and may be left in care of funeral home. Fond memories and condolences can be left online at www.vansant-millsfuneralhome.com.

"Lew" was born in Ada, Oklahoma to Clyde and Anita Bottoms. He joined the army at the age of 17 which led him to many destinations, one of which was Germany. There he met the love of his life Erika, they were married in Karlsruhe, Germany in 1959. Soon after they returned to the United States and started a family. Being an adventurous soul, he gathered his clan and headed north to Alaska, via the Alcan Highway. He pursued his dream of becoming a big rig driver, traveling the icy roads of Prudhoe Bay, Alaska. He later became a business agent for the Teamsters, Local 959 in Anchorage, AK. He fulfilled his love of the outdoors by hunting big game and spending summer weekends fishing for salmon on the Kenai River. In 1982 he and Erika moved to Calhoun, Missouri where they bought a house in the country with some acreage along with cows and horses. He enjoyed fishing in his bass boat on Truman Lake. They traded in farm living for a home in Clinton in 2008.
Lewis was preceded in death by his parents, Clyde and Lela Anita (Lewis) Bottoms, his sisters, Clydene Griffith and Patsy Hooten.
Survivors include his wife, Erika Bottoms; two daughters, Angela Davis and her husband Rick, Karola Robinson and her husband Jim, and three grandchildren, Jeff Davis, Kirsten Dane and Michael McQueen.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Vansant-Mills Funeral Home, Clinton, Missouri.