Rodney Hugh Lewis, PE, 77 years old, went to his heavenly home on May 11, 2021. He graduated from the University of Texas in 1971 with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering. He worked his way through school while working full time in the MEP engineering field. He played trumpet in the Longhorn Band for the first two years. After Graduation, he moved to Houston and worked for Cook and Holle Consulting Engineers. After a few years, he opened his own practice as president of Rodney H. Lewis Associates, Inc. He specialized in providing mechanical, electrical, and plumbing engineering services for commercial, institutional, educational and laboratory buildings. Among his projects are the World Houston Plaza, The University of Chicago Hospitals and Medical School, College of Education at the University of Texas at Austin, and Texas A&M Engineering Laboratory. He served on several ASHRAE technical committees, including chairing TC9.7, Testing and Balancing. He also co-authored Chapter 34 "Testing and Balancing, 1991 ASHRAE Handbook. He was president of the ASHRAE Houston Chapter in 1992-1993. He received an ASHRAE Technical award for the Central Plant at the University of Chicago Medical Center. He authored a study of an existing chilled water distribution system for over a 3 million sq. ft. facility. Rodney's overall list of projects performed during his forty-eight year engineering career include 4,000 commissions for Schools, Office Buildings, Laboratory Buildings, Data Centers, Emergency Power Generation and multiple Healthcare Facilities. In 1986 he started accepting litigation support cases dealing with construction defects. At the end of his career he worked over 500 cases and still was in great demand as an expert. He conveyed his special thanks to his wife Leonor of 55 years who faithfully served as his assistant through-out his career. After retirement, Rodney returned to Austin. His home backs up to the Balcones Preserve, where he became a "birder" keeping ten feeders stocked. He and Leonor enjoyed playing golf, offshore deep sea fishing, going to Bass Hall for the Broadway Series and to Great Hills Regal Theater for the Metropolitan Opera. Rodney was a pilot and he liked to travel in his Cessna 182 whenever he could. Sundays was the Lord's Day at Austin Baptist Church. When he was able, Rodney sang bass in the church choir.
Rodney's memberships include the UT EX Students Assn., Onion Creek Lodge No. 222 and Austin Baptist Church.
Rodney's brother Randy passed away in 2007. Randy’s two sons, Scott Lewis and Donny Lewis survive him. Rodney has three cousins, Kay Kemp and husband Ray (Shelbyville,TN), Charlotte Bertling (Houston), and Carolyn Evans and husband Al (Fresno, CA) He is also survived by his sister-in-law, Linda-Marie Rice and husband Lee Roy Rice, MD (Georgetown, TX); niece, Lesli Bolin and husband Scott (Cedar Park); nephew, Scott Helge (New Braunfels); three great nieces, Meghan Smith (Cedar Park), Caleigh Kelley (Cedar Park) and Ashlynn Helge (Austin); and two great-great niece and nephew, Zayne Liberty and Zenith Rose.
The funeral service will be held at 1:00p.m., Saturday, May 15, 2021 at the Mausoleum Chapel of Cook-Walden/Capital Parks Cemetery in Pflugerville. Following the service, he will be laid to rest at Cook-Walden/Capital Parks Cemetery.
Remembrance contributions in Rodney’s name may be mailed to Austin Baptist Church, 7016 Ribelin Ranch Road, Austin, Texas 78750
COMPARTA UN OBITUARIO
v.1.9.5