John Clarence Lewis
January 12, 1931 ~ October 22, 2013
Capt. John Lewis, of Oakton, VA, who served in both the Korean and Vietnam Wars in the Naval Supply Corps before a distinguished civilian career, passed away on October 22, 2013, at the age of 82.
Born in 1931 in Kansas City, Missouri to Wilbert Wallace Lewis and Myrtle McGuire Lewis, Capt. Lewis graduated from Holton High School in Holton, KS. He enrolled at Baker University in Baldwin, KS, joining Delta Tau Delta fraternity, and received a total of 12 varsity letters from his participation in football, basketball, and track each of his four years of college. Upon graduation from Baker, he joined the US Navy Supply Corps, the first step in a distinguished 23 year career that took him and his family to California, Hawaii, California for a second time, Rhode Island, Japan, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. His final assignment and the culmination of his naval career was Head Supply Officer at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard. While serving in the navy, Capt. Lewis graduated with distinction from the US Naval War College and earned an MBA from Stanford Graduate School of Business.
As a young officer stationed in Washington, DC, he served as a White House Military Aide under President and Mrs. Eisenhower. During that time, a friend set him up on a blind date with the then - Ruth Ann Nicolls. A year later, in 1958, they were married at the Naval Chapel in Washington, DC.
Following his retirement from the Navy, the Lewises moved to Oakton, VA. Capt. Lewis held a number of executive-level positions consulting for the FAA and DoD in the private sector, first with Booz Allen Hamilton, then with CACI Federal, Inc., then completing his career at CEXEC until his second retirement in 2006 at the age of 75.
Capt. Lewis' public commitments included service on the Presidential Transition Team for President-Elect Reagan, evaluating operational effectiveness of components of the General Services Administration. He was inducted into the Baker University Athletic Hall of Fame in 1985. His civic service included leadership on the boards of two homeowners' associations. For most of his life, he considered his Delt brothers from Baker to be among his best closest friends, along with the many Navy friends he and Ruth Ann accumulated during their Navy years.
Capt. Lewis is predeceased by his wife, Ruth Ann, who passed away in February of 2012; his parents; his sister Ellen Sadler, formerly of Grand Rapids, MI; and his brother Bill, formerly of Brentwood, TN. He is survived by his daughter, Cheri Lewis of Charlottesville, VA, and his daughter Suzy L. Yoder and her husband Paul Bryant Yoder, and his grandchildren, Allison and Paul Bryant (P.J.) Yoder, Jr., all of Charlotte, NC.
Burial will be at Arlington National Cemetery after a Service of Remembrance at the Old Post Chapel at Fort Myer, Arlington, VA on Friday, February 21, 2014 at 9 am.
Funeral Home:
Money & King Funeral Home
171 W. Maple Ave.
Vienna, VA
US 22180
Born in 1931 in Kansas City, Missouri to Wilbert Wallace Lewis and Myrtle McGuire Lewis, Capt. Lewis graduated from Holton High School in Holton, KS. He enrolled at Baker University in Baldwin, KS, joining Delta Tau Delta fraternity, and received a total of 12 varsity letters from his participation in football, basketball, and track each of his four years of college. Upon graduation from Baker, he joined the US Navy Supply Corps, the first step in a distinguished 23 year career that took him and his family to California, Hawaii, California for a second time, Rhode Island, Japan, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. His final assignment and the culmination of his naval career was Head Supply Officer at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard. While serving in the navy, Capt. Lewis graduated with distinction from the US Naval War College and earned an MBA from Stanford Graduate School of Business.
As a young officer stationed in Washington, DC, he served as a White House Military Aide under President and Mrs. Eisenhower. During that time, a friend set him up on a blind date with the then - Ruth Ann Nicolls. A year later, in 1958, they were married at the Naval Chapel in Washington, DC.
Following his retirement from the Navy, the Lewises moved to Oakton, VA. Capt. Lewis held a number of executive-level positions consulting for the FAA and DoD in the private sector, first with Booz Allen Hamilton, then with CACI Federal, Inc., then completing his career at CEXEC until his second retirement in 2006 at the age of 75.
Capt. Lewis' public commitments included service on the Presidential Transition Team for President-Elect Reagan, evaluating operational effectiveness of components of the General Services Administration. He was inducted into the Baker University Athletic Hall of Fame in 1985. His civic service included leadership on the boards of two homeowners' associations. For most of his life, he considered his Delt brothers from Baker to be among his best closest friends, along with the many Navy friends he and Ruth Ann accumulated during their Navy years.
Capt. Lewis is predeceased by his wife, Ruth Ann, who passed away in February of 2012; his parents; his sister Ellen Sadler, formerly of Grand Rapids, MI; and his brother Bill, formerly of Brentwood, TN. He is survived by his daughter, Cheri Lewis of Charlottesville, VA, and his daughter Suzy L. Yoder and her husband Paul Bryant Yoder, and his grandchildren, Allison and Paul Bryant (P.J.) Yoder, Jr., all of Charlotte, NC.
Burial will be at Arlington National Cemetery after a Service of Remembrance at the Old Post Chapel at Fort Myer, Arlington, VA on Friday, February 21, 2014 at 9 am.
Funeral Home:
Money & King Funeral Home
171 W. Maple Ave.
Vienna, VA
US 22180
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I will miss your Dad at WPS. He was always so helpful, taking in my food dish if I was coming at the same time and then making sure I got to ny car safely. Since I live in Oakton I would see your dad at Giant. You, his daugters I am sure have great memories. My thoughts and prayers are with you and for your dad. MMM
John is very much missed by his many friends in the Vienna-Oakton Widowed Persons Service. Always a gentleman , John will be remembered for his friendly nature, his willingness to help out, and his charming personality. We extend our deepest sympathy to daughters Cheri and Suzy and all the family. Rest in peace, John.
We will miss John in the neighborhood. He was a wonderful guy.
I knew John from WPS. He was interesting and fun to be around. He will be missed by all.
I will miss your father at our WPS dinners. He very quickly endeared himself with his gentlemanly ways and easy conversation. I especially will miss the possibility of running into him while shopping at the Giant. He seemed to really enjoy the possibility of seeing familiar faces there. My deepest sympathies to your and your family.
To my dear friend of 64 years, Delt brother, classmate and best man of 60 years, I will sorely miss you even though we saw each other infrequently over the years. Godspeed John Lewis Bill
To Cheri and Suzy, My heartfelt condolences to you and your family for the loss of your wonderful father John. I worked with John in his position as he supported the MITRE/CAASD Program at the FAA. I was the FAA’s Program Manager. It was an honor and a privilege to work with your father. As a former civilian senior manager at the Navy, I appreciated his unique experiences in support of our nation as a Naval Officer. He was truly special. We enjoyed his modest send-off at the FAA when he finally did retire. We wanted to do more, but John would not have it! Although I never did meet your mom, I did speak with John of her on several occasions. I know they were so much in love. After he finally retired, we did connect and he mentioned he enjoyed taking her to her high school reunion. Your dad was a wonderful man, and I appreciated his support as we managed the FAA’s MITRE/CAASD Program. But more importantly, I am appreciative that I got to know him personally. He was a class act and I am a better person for knowing him. Although I am sadden to hear of his passing, I am happy that he is now with Ruth Ann in heaven. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. I am sorry I missed his memorial service. I so much would have loved to be there. May John and Ruth Ann enjoy eternal light. God bless! Bob Bostiga