Ray Don Lewis

Peacefully passed away at home on July 21, 2019 at the age of 72.

Born December 5, 1946 in the ranching community of Kemmerer, WY to Della Pearl Mann and Edward Andrew Lewis and the youngest of 10. He grew up on a large cattle ranch outside Big Piney, and rodeoed in his younger days. After graduating from high school, he attended college in Powell, WY majoring in forestry as well as spending his summers working with the forestry services putting up elk fence, clear cutting fire lines and constructed/repaired line cabins. Upon receiving his draft notice for Vietnam and in lieu of being drafted into the Marines, Ray enlisted into the army where he served in the Big Red 1, the 1st Infantry Division, 1st Engineers Battalion. On a sign above their base camp read – “The extremely difficult we do daily, the impossible may take two.” He served with honor and distinction in that compacity between 1967-1970. The latter part of his service years was with one Robert “Bob” Phelps in which Bob shared a care package from home. Ray thought the chocolate chip cookies were the best he’d had and wanted Bob to thank his sister and he needed to write her to request more. Bob told Ray “if you want to thank her and want more, then you write her.” He did. The next time leave came around both Bob and Ray were able to come back to the states where they spent the entire leave with the Phelps family. After his honorable discharge he courted and married the baker of said chocolate chip cookies, Susan Phelps on May 9, 1970 in Elko, NV. On November 30, 1971 their son Edward William Lewis was born in Brigham City, UT. After his birth they traveled to Green River, UT where Ray was working oil derricks.

He entered into running heavy equipment building rig pads in Green River, CO as well as building roads with his Father-in-law, Bill, in Green River, WY. The family went on to Hanna, WY laying grade for the railroad, and also worked at a coal mine outside of Hanna. This took the family to Ranchester, WY where Ray continued to work at Decker Coal which lay just inside the Montana state line. Ray coached Ed in Little Guy football for 2 years, his team was the Spring Creek Eagles. During this time, Ed remembered that he made sure everyone was given field time and if a kid was struggling, Ray saw fit to give a little extra time to them to work through the challenge. And although winning wasn’t everything, it did get you ice cream! There was an award called the “Mad Dog Award” and Ed received it 3 times. This was awarded to the player creating a play from making tackles, blocking, causing a fumble, sacks. The award was a bone shaped squeaky toy. In retrospect, this might explain Ed’s continued love of dogs and working with them in a daily capacity at Rover Retreat in Golden, CO. In 1990 after Ed graduated high school, Ray and Susan embarked on a new endeavor with Kal Tire managing a section repair shop of heavy equipment tires in Elko, NV. A few years went by and Ray went back to working construction and relocated to Homestead, FL for Gilbert Southern doing the dirt work for the Dade County Speedway. Ed joined Ray in April of 1995 where he started teaching Ed all he knew about construction and operating heavy equipment. The next jobsite would take the family to Matthews, NC outside Charlotte. The jobsite was for the 485 Bypass Loop. Ed will tell you that everything learned about construction, it came from his Dad. His only Grandson was born in Matthews, NC on his birthday in 1996. Of course, this too has its own story. As Lori was in labor in the maternity ward Ray had been admitted to the ER with pneumonia. Let’s just say the announcement of this from a floor nurse, while in active labor, was not well received and promise of bodily harm were made if she didn’t exit post haste…by the one in labor! Needless to say, Ray’s first time to hold his Grandson was in his own hospital room before seeing him again at home.

Shortly after, 15 days to be exact, the Lewis family moved to Burnsville, NC to start on a job in Mars Hill, NC, a small mountain town near Ashville, NC and a short driving distance to Johnson City, TN. Ray and Susan moved to a lakefront house in a neighboring town by the name of Marion, NC. Upon Ed’s family moving to the Denver, CO area in mid-1997 to be closer to Lori’s family, Ray and Susan followed the next year and the Lewis men once again were working together as foreman/equipment operator for a few different construction companies, but Ray’s journey came full circle. His last job was back with Kiewit as a job superintendent on construction of a new Locke of a dam outside Louisville, KY. He finished his construction career at the Denver Union Station depot area working on the bus box, the platform area and the new light rail exchange where it linked direct passage to the Denver International Airport. He retired in 2013 and with Susan moved to Palisade, CO to be near his sister Barbara and extended family. This time in Palisade allowed him to create even more memories with family and be near Barbara in her battle with cancer. He watched as great nieces and nephews were growing up, starting their own families, get married and support them as often as he could. In 2015, he traveled to Castle Rock, CO once again to see his only Grandson graduate from high school and find his avenue in college at Johnson & Wales University. He participated from afar as Cadin traveled to Disney World in Orlando, FL for his internship, the final leg of completing his Associates Degree in Culinary Arts in 2017. Unfortunately, he lost the love of his life of 47 years in June 2018 and life’s dynamics changed once again. He moved to live with his son, Ed and family in Castle Rock, CO in October 2018. Ray did see his Grandson walk for his final college graduation May 2019 with his Bachelor’s Degree in Business - Hospitality Management. Ray told anyone that would listen how proud he was of his Grandson, eyes beaming, as he said Cadin was the first Lewis to graduate college. All the while, Ray was receiving medical care and preparing to return to his own place, another life dynamic change. Unfortunately, his journey ended too soon as he passed away at home and rejoined the love of his life – July 21, 2019.

He will be remembered as someone that loved his family, a good joke or story, would always shake your hand, address you by name and spoke to you as an old friend.

Survived by:

His son Edward William Lewis, daughter-in-law Lori Lea McMaster Lewis, Grandson Cadin Andrew Lewis of Castle Rock, CO, sister Wanda K. Lewis Tracy, Ashton, ID and numerous nieces/nephews and great nieces and nephews.

Predeceased by:

His Mother Della Pearl Mann, Father Edward Andrew Lewis, infant brother Merrel Lewis, infant sister Baby Girl Lewis, brother Delbert E. Lewis, brother Ted A. Lewis, brother Rodrick D. Lewis, sister Edna F. Lewis Bollinger, sister Querida E. Lewis Hicks and sister Barbara H. Lewis Walton.

Quote from a favorite Poem: For Whom the Bell Tolls – by John Donne

“Therefore, send not to know for whom the bells tolls, it tolls for thee.”