Earl Roland Lewis

On November 17, 2023, our father, Earl Roland Lewis completed his earthly journey and went to heaven to meet his Savior, Jesus Christ. At his passing he was surrounded by his loving family, and he died peacefully in the comfort of his home.

Earl's life did not start out peacefully. He was born on January 9, 1928, during a raging thunderstorm in the piney woods outside of Cedar Key, Florida. The next 15 years would be difficult for young Earl. His parents were the working poor, and as the country slipped into a nationwide depression, Earl was accustomed to the hand-me-down clothes and going shoeless to school. The Lewis' moved from hamlet to hamlet, and Earl's red hair got him into many scrapes and scuffles because he was frequently the new kid in school. But he was industrious and loved to make money so he could give it to his family. At eight, nine, and ten years of age he had a small Florida Times Union paper route in Mayo, Florida. He sold the Grit newspaper on the weekends. He sold boiled peanuts on Fridays and Saturdays when the farmers came into town. He swept the food store and the pharmacy. No job was too small or too large for him to work. At 14, because of WWII, he was driving a dump truck for a road building company. He went to Jacksonville, Florida and worked in the shipyards spraying a new flame-retardant chemical called... asbestos. Many years later, a doctor said his lungs were "pocked" with the chemical. True to form, he said it didn't even bother him.

Each week, Earl went back to Mayo to visit with his many friends. He never forgot his friends. Then, at the age of 16, Earl's life changed forever. He met Eloise Allen, who would ultimately become his partner for life. Earl and Eloise fell in love. World War Il Armistice was signed on September 2, 1945. Two months later, on November 4, 1945, they were married at the home of the pastor of First Baptist Church Mayo. Their lives would always be intertwined in raising the family, in their many businesses, in their church work, and in developing friends. It was always Earl and Eloise, and it would continue that way for over 78 years.

Earl and Eloise had three children. John, Wayne, and Sharon were born in 1949, 1951, and 1957. The couple understood that if they were to be successful in life, they would need to move to the big city.

They moved to Jacksonville in 1950, where Earl traded in his beautiful automobile for a house and opened a Standard Oil station on State Street. Hank Drane, in a story printed in the Florida Times Union on February 8, 1978, said, "Lewis came to Jacksonville red-headed and tough as the hide on a mule's back." The gas station was opened seven days a week, twelve hours a day with two employees - Earl and Eloise. It was there that Earl learned how to sell used cars, dipped his toe into the political process, gained business principles, and ran a trucking enterprise. This preparation led them to establish Gateway Auto Sales in January 1963 with their partner, Bill Smith. Earl and Eloise worked hard. The dealership became successful, and over the 55 years that the dealership was open, many employees worked there from 35 to 50 years.

Earl was elected as the President of the Jacksonville Independent Automobile Dealers Association in 1975, and as President of the statewide Florida Independent Automobile Dealers Association in 1979. It was through the automobile dealers associations that Earl became involved in the local and state legislative processes. Earl was a member of many organizations but spent most of his time with the Masonic Lodge, becoming a lifetime member after 50 years, and a lifetime member of the Northside Businessmen’s Club.

The most important commitment in their family's life, however, was their dedication to Jesus Christ, their Lord and Savior. A life of service began when Earl was elected as a deacon at Norwood Baptist Church in

1962; and as such, was retired as a Deacon Emeritus from Kernan Baptist Church in 2016. Earl took great pride in the bus ministry that he established at Lake Forest Baptist Church in the 1970's. Furnishing a bus, he was able to minister to children growing up in circumstances like his.

Earl and Eloise developed many lasting friendships. Several of these friends came to Earl for help when they wanted to run for political office, the first of which was Earl Huntley in 1968. After managing Huntley's successful campaign for Jacksonville City Council, Earl found himself involved in many campaigns over the next many years. Earl believed in campaigning the old-fashioned way by taking the candidate to meet face-to-face with the voters. In 1974, his friend, former State Representative Bill Birchfield was the first person to call Earl the "Godfather of the Northside", a term of endearment signifying Earl's powerful behind-the-scenes influence in Northside politics. Earl worked in citywide and statewide races for various candidates over the years. In a letter to Earl, former Mayor of Jacksonville, Hans Tanzler, wrote, "You assured me, Earl that you were going to be with me right to the very end if there were only the two of us left." And that's exactly what Earl did.

In the January 1999 edition of magazine Winning People, evangelist Moody Adams said, "Community leaders in Jacksonville have found in Lewis a man who gives good advice and does not divulge confidences. Plus, he is a tireless worker who has never sought recognition or reward for anything he does."

A celebration of Earl R. Lewis’ life will be held 2pm, Monday, Dec. 4, 2023, in the Chapel of Hardage-Giddens Funeral Home, 1701 Beach Blvd., with Rev. Bob Loy presiding.

The August 3, 1988 edition of the Northside Neighbor said it best, “The Earl Lewis family works as one for all. They play and pray together, too.”