James E Lewis

James E. Lewis, 82, of Scottsbluff, Nebraska, passed away on Tuesday, March 12, 2019 at the Western Nebraska Veterans’ Home in Scottsbluff, after several years of Alzheimer’s. Jim spent his last hours resting peacefully, with his wife Jerry and his son Kent at his side.

A memorial service for Jim will be held on Sunday, March 17, at 1:30pm at the Scottsbluff congregation of the Community of Christ, 1623 4th Avenue, Scottsbluff. Please join us to celebrate Jim’s life, share your memories, and spend time with those who loved him. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the Scottsbluff Alzheimer’s Caregivers Support Group, which has provided valuable support to Jim, Jerry and many others for the past few years. The Support Group is not set up to receive on-line donations, but checks can be made out to Caregivers’ Support Group and mailed care of Jerry Lewis, Western Nebraska Veterans’ Home, 1102 West 42d Street, Scottsbluff, Nebraska 69361.

Jim was born on December 17, 1936, to parents Lawrence L. and G. Helen Lewis in Adrian, Missouri. He grew up between farms in Missouri and Gordon, Nebraska, eventually graduating from Keytesville (Missouri) High School in 1954. He met his wife Jerry (nee Dillee) in Independence, Missouri, in 1955. They married on February 16, 1958.

Jim enlisted in the Navy shortly after being married and served as a storekeeper on the USS Snohomish County, based in San Diego, California. After that, Jim had a long and successful career in the United States Postal Service. He started as a clerk in Kansas City, Missouri, and worked his way up before retiring in 1992 as Postmaster in Sidney, Nebraska. He was always involved in his local and church communities, and held many offices including the following: Kiwanis Distinguished Lieutenant Governor, Rocky Mountain District, Division 6; Judge for Scottsbluff County Board of Election Commissioners; National Association of Postmasters Legislative Chairman, Nebraska; ordained Elder in the Community of Christ; and ultimately Pastor of the Scottsbluff congregation of the Community of Christ. After retiring from the Post Office, he drove the Denver Coach for years, and loved meeting new people and hearing their stories.

Throughout his life he was an avid sportsman and fisherman, and spent many happy days with good friends and faithful dogs in duck blinds, goose pits, corn fields, woods, trout streams, lakes and boats in Missouri, Nebraska, South Dakota and elsewhere. He always loved to buy, sell, and trade virtually anything – guns, fishing rods, golf clubs, boats, cars, or even that nice-looking pen in your pocket. He will be missed.

Jim is survived by his wife, Jerry of Scottsbluff; their son Kent Lewis and daughter-in-law Meredith Kolsky Lewis, and their grandchildren Owen and Claudia, all of Buffalo, New York; dear friend and foreign-exchange-son Markus Ruchter, his wife Nadine and their foster son Yannick of Dusseldorf, Germany; brother-in-law Larry Cole, his wife Phyllis and family of Blue Springs, Missouri, and Larry’s children Tara Cole-Menzies, her husband Todd and family of Kansas City, Missouri, and Ryan Cole of Independence, Missouri; and cousins Linda Calvert and family, and Jerry Walker, his wife Sharon and family, all of Independence, Missouri.

Jim was preceded in death by his parents Lawrence L. and G. Helen Lewis, and his sister Susan Cole.