Wiley and Ruby Sewell will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary on June 11.  Wiley retired from the Federal Aviation Administration in 1982, but Ruby still enjoys aiding students in acquiring the English language at Wells Elementary School.  One of her greatest joys comes from talking to past students and hearing of their accomplishments.  The greatest joy shared by both is having their family visit them and visiting family and old friends in San Diego.  Their family includes one daughter, three sons, 11 grandchildren and one great-grandson.

Wiley was born in Coleman, Texas to Vernon Benton and Pearl Mary (Fenton) Sewell.  He served in the Air Force and then went to work for the Federal Aviation Administration.  In 1953, while working for the FAA in Grants, New Mexico, he met the love of his life, Ruby Chavez.  They were married for 50 wonderful years.  They had five children, one who was stillborn, Paula Marie, was waiting to welcome her daddy in heaven.  Due to his career, Wiley and his family moved several times to various locations throughout the west, from Salt Lake City to San Diego. In 1982, he retired in San Diego as station chief after 33 years of service.  They remained there until 1998 when they moved to Tehachapi to enjoy the four seasons.  Above all else, Wiley loved God, his wife, his family and good food.  He enjoyed sports of all kinds, especially football, baseball and golf.  He was always partial to the Dallas Cowboys and the San Diego Padres.  He had a great sense of humor and loved a good joke.  While he will be greatly missed he is now enjoying a new life with the Lord.

Wiley is survived by his wife, Ruby; daughter, Teresa Pollock; his three sons and their wives, Wayne and Bonnie Sewell, David and Cheryl Sewell and Patrick and Christina Sewell. He also leaves behind his 11 grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Hoffman Hospice who helped make this a loving experience.  Services will be held at the Church of Christ in Tehachapi, 401 S. Mill Street at 11 a.m. on Monday, March 22.

"Thanks so much for letting me know about Wiley's death.  About a month ago, he said he was going to shut down his machine for about two weeks and not to send any mail during that time.  Sounds like he had a premonition that something was going to happen.  Wiley and I lived close together in the south part of Coleman, Texas.  His dad and my dad were good friends.  I had almost forgotten him when I received an email from him one day calling himself Wiley Coyote.  He had found my name on the Coleman High School site.  Am so sorry to lose a good friend."  (Ted Hatcher, CHS Class of 1945, to Wiley Sewell's daughter.)