Dr. Malcolm Richard Lewis

After a long, rich and multi-faceted life, Dr. Malcolm R. Lewis passed away peacefully Monday morning November 18th, a few weeks before his 95th birthday. As a 19-year-old from Webster City Iowa, Malcolm served in the United States Navy in WWII as Electronics Technician Lieutenant 2nd class on an LST in the Pacific, returning after the war to college and medical school at Washington University in St. Louis, both his parents’ alma mater. He there met and married Martha Newman Graef and started their family with Dick and Beth before moving to Chicago for an advanced fellowship at the University of Illinois, ultimately establishing life and his surgical practice in Martha’s hometown of Nashville, where Cathy was born. Malcolm and Martha enjoyed 50 years of a loving marriage with the many blessings of sharing a full family life and unwavering commitment and love of each other.

Throughout his surgery career, Dr. Lewis’ professional leadership included serving as President of the Tennessee division of the American Cancer Society and Speaker of the House of Delegates in the Tennessee Medical Association. He was a thought leader in the medical community as an early advocate for car seat belts, promoting cancer research, and later in raising professional standards to reduce medical malpractice while serving on the board of State Voluntary Mutual Insurance Company and several HMOs.

Whether in his private surgery practice or at the Baptist Wound Care Center, patients and families remember Dr. Lewis because of his attentiveness, compassion and skill, and younger physicians appreciated his thoughtful mentorship 25 years after his retirement. He characterized his patient care through God’s trustworthiness to guide his decisions for each patient.

Dr. Lewis served as a deacon and later as an elder at Woodmont Christian Church and as a Boy Scout leader in his son Dick’s troop. After his retirement from surgery at age 70, Dr. Lewis served in several medical advisory capacities, as president of the Nashville Bonsai Society, president of Legend Hall Homeowners, and homeschooled 2 grandsons in science. His deepest commitment in retirement began by volunteering as a chaplain, then becoming a volunteer counselor in the Nashville Rescue Mission men’s residential recovery program for nearly two decades.

Five years after Martha’s passing, Malcolm married Virginia Bradshaw, widowed since Bill’s passing seven years prior. Their marriage of almost 15 years blessed them both and their families with love, humor and faithfulness, especially in Virginia’s tender daily care throughout his declining final years. None could have foreseen or written such a kind, grace-filled closing season for Malcolm’s life as a caretaker of others.

Surviving is his wife Virginia Bradshaw Lewis; children, Malcolm Richard Lewis, Jr. (Melissa), Elizabeth Lewis Murphy (John), and Catherine Lewis Bristow (Rudy); grandchildren, Garland Lewis Reid (Richard), Elizabeth Lewis Arnold (Mike), Lillian Lewis Cullen (Harrison), John Robin Murphy, Jr. (Lindsay), Benjamin Lewis Murphy (Rachel), and Derek Keith Bristow; great grandchildren, Elizabeth Fielding Reid, Richard Lewis Reid II, Anne Lazenby Reid, Garland Elledge Arnold, William Michael Arnold, Elizabeth Paige Murphy, and Harry Holmes Cullen IV; stepchildren, Mary Catherine Bradshaw, Julia Gray Cole (Joey), Virginia Lee Dinker, Billy Lee Bradshaw, Jr. (Gina); step grandchildren, Novice Joe Cole III, Luther Alan Cole, Leah Caroline Dinker, Benjamin Cooper Bradshaw, Allie Dianne Bradshaw, and Samuel Guthrie Bradshaw; step great-grandchildren, Mary Charlotte Hatchell, Carter Leigh Cole, and Camilla Gray Cole.

Preceding him in death are his parents; William Benjamin Lewis, M.D. and Faye Cashatt Lewis, M.D.; sisters, Elizabeth Lewis Matthew and Mary Virginia Lewis; wife of 50 years, Martha Graef Lewis; and nephew, Jeffrey Lynn Matthew.

A Gathering of Family and Friends will be held on Thursday, November 21, 2019 from five o’clock in the evening until seven o’clock and on Friday, November 22, 2019 from one o’clock to two o’clock at Woodmont Christian Church, 3601 Hillsboro Pike, Nashville, TN. A Celebration of Life will follow the gathering on Friday at two o’clock at the church. Burial will be in Woodlawn Memorial Park.

Serving as pallbearers will be John Robin Murphy, Jr., Benjamin Lewis Murphy, Derek Keith Bristow, Novice Joe Cole III, Luther Alan Cole, Benjamin Cooper Bradshaw, and Samuel Guthrie Bradshaw.

Serving as Honorary Pallbearers will be Richard Marion Reid, Michael Ray Arnold, Harry Holmes Cullen, III; William Benjamin Matthew, Sidney Lewis Matthew, Timothy Oscar Matthew and the Wednesday Morning Men’s Group of Woodmont Christian Church.

Donations may be made to Woodmont Christian Church or the Nashville Rescue Mission.

Please visit www.woodlawn-roesch-pattonfh.com to offer your condolences.