LEWIS, Robert Walker 1918-2004

LEWIS, WALKER, WARD

Posted By: County Coordinator
Date: 8/2/2011 at 12:31:16

Robert W. ‘Bob' Lewis

CHARLES CITY, IOWA — Robert W. "Bob" Lewis, 86, of 612 Third Ave., Charles City, died of natural causes on Dec. 30, 2004, at the 9th Street Chautauqua Guest Home in Charles City.

Robert Walker Lewis was born April 24, 1918, in Tipton, Iowa, the son of Lewis R. Lewis and Merta Lou (Walker) Lewis. Robert attended grade school in southern Iowa, graduated from high school in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and received a bachelor of arts degree (magna cum laude) in Romance Languages from Lake Forest College, Lake Forest, Illinois, in 1939.

After college, Robert took a job as an announcer at KGLO Radio in Mason City, where he met and married Gladys (Ward) Lewis.

When the United States entered the Second World War, Robert and Gladys moved to Alameda, California, where Robert was employed in the shipyards.

In February of 1946, Robert and his family returned to Iowa. He found a job at Salsbury Laboratories in Charles City, beginning as a copywriter and progressing to management positions until his retirement in 1983.

Robert was the recipient of numerous honors both in college and during his working career. An excellent writer, he had a great enthusiasm for the precise use of language.

His other passions included watching all manner of sports activities, listening to Tony Bennett, poring over newspapers, and conversing at every opportunity with friends, classmates, business associates, and people he met in his daily life.

He was known to possess an encyclopedic memory, and was particularly proud of his membership in the American Mensa Society.

In the early part of his years in Charles City, he was active in the Congregational Church, service clubs, and the YMCA.

Robert is survived by his wife, Gladys; and their six children: Geoffrey Lewis (Ginny), of Yuma, Ariz., Gwenyth L. Martin of Ely, Iowa, Meredith Lewis and Jamison Lewis of Charles City, Daniel Lewis (Angela) of Marion, Iowa, and John Lewis (Melissa) of Garrett Park, Maryland, plus nine grandchildren, two step-grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.

His parents and his three sisters, Genevieve, Nadine and Gertrude, preceded him in death.

Memorial services will be held at a later date.

[ Mason City Globe Gazette, Jan. 4, 2005 ]