James Ray Lewis

LEWIS, DUKE, STIEFEL, SCERPELLA, BOYD

Posted By: Sarah Fletcher (email)
Date: 6/20/2018 at 10:39:40

James Ray Lewis, 91, a lifelong Iowa resident, died June 15th, 2018, at Attic Angels Place in Madison, Wisconsin.
Visitation will be Thursday, June 21st at 9 AM at St. Mary’s Church in Iowa City. Mass of Christian Burial will follow at 10:30 AM, Thursday at St. Mary’s Church. Burial with Military Honors will occur directly afterward at Ridgewood Cemetery in North Liberty.
Jim was born April 9th, 1927 in Burlington, Iowa to Floyd D. and Frances (Duke) Lewis. He enlisted in the United States Navy at age 17 to serve his country during World War II as a Seaman 1st Class, primarily stationed on the island of Guam. After the war, he returned home to marry his high school sweetheart, Mary Elizabeth Stiefel, on July 26th, 1947 in Burlington. Jim began work as a lineman for Northwestern Bell Telephone Company in 1947, and rose to become an engineering manager by 1971, a position he held until his retirement. Jim and Mary settled in rural North Liberty at a home that Jim built along the Coralville Reservoir in 1961. Here they raised their three children, and hosted many family get-togethers for more than 50 years. Jim retired from Northwestern Bell in 1983. He and Mary created their own company, Mel-Tel, and provided contract engineering services for 5 more years, until they retired again in 1988. They thoroughly enjoyed their retirement, traveling and spending time with their family. Jim enjoyed hunting and fishing and was a lifelong woodworker, building tables, chairs, headboards and boxes for his children and grandchildren in his home workshop, where he also built a 26’ sail boat. He also enjoyed genealogy, and spent many years writing books that documented his own life and the life of his and Mary’s ancestors.
Jim is survived by his loving wife, Mary, of 70 years, their 3 children Brian (Janet) Lewis of rural Oxford, Iowa, Tamara (Patrick) Scerpella of Madison, Wisconsin and Gregory (Moria) Lewis of rural Oxford, Iowa, their 10 grandchildren including: Jennifer, Samantha (Nathan Boyd), Emily, Danielle, Michael and Mark Lewis; John, William, Colleen, and Patrick Scerpella; and one great granddaughter, Brinley Boyd.
In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to Agrace Hospice & Palliative Care.

Lensing Funeral & Cremation Service
 

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