Barbara E. Lewis

Barbara Eileen Lewis, aged 76, was welcomed to her forever home on September 25, 2025. She was born on March 22, 1949, in Elizabeth, New Jersey, to the late Doris Pennington Fleming Greely and the late Walter Alvin Fleming.

Barbara graduated from Central High School in Newark, NJ, where she was a straight-A student, a cheerleader, and a violinist. She went on to earn her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Long Island University and dedicated more than 50 years to the profession she viewed not as a job but as a lifelong commitment to healing and service.

Barbara spent her long and illustrious life in service of others. As a nurse, instructor, and clinical trials coordinator, she aided patients with cancer and HIV, traveled across the globe, and sought to make each person and place she touched better. Her career spanned eras of remarkable medical change—from bedside care in local hospitals to working on the frontlines of groundbreaking healthcare innovations. She was constantly adapting, learning, and leading. She mentored younger nurses, championed the human side of medicine, and served as a model of grace under pressure.

Throughout her career, she worked at prestigious institutions such as the Georgetown Lombardi Cancer Center, Walter Reed Medical Center, and Fort Belvoir Hospital. She held numerous vital posts at these and other institutions, including Head Nurse for Allergy and Immunology Service at Walter Reed and Fort Belvoir, Head Nurse of Executive Medicine at Fort Belvoir, Research Nurse Specialist for HIV at the Henry Jackson Foundation, and Research Nurse at the Georgetown Lombardi Cancer Center. Beyond these accomplishments, she was also a Certified Pediatric Clinical Nurse, Certified Oncology Nurse Specialist, and Certified Public Health Nurse. She was the recipient of numerous Nursing Excellence awards, including the recognition by Walter Reed for 50 Years as “An Exceptional Nurse, That Touched the Lives of Many, Supported the Legacy, and Passed the Torch!”

Barbara was recognized for leading the establishment of the flu vaccine clinic at Fort Belvoir, which safely provided 700-800 daily vaccines to infants 6 months old and older, as well as those in their twilight years. She also set up a training program for medics and sailors so they could, in turn, administer vaccines to infants or resistant toddlers/children. She had a soft spot in her heart for children and was recognized for the humanity she brought to calm their fears, bring a smile to their faces, and add a little sunshine to their days while they were receiving treatment. She arranged for hundreds of books to be distributed to children after their vaccine to help ease the pain and distract them from the moment.

She poured her gifts into uplifting those around her. Whether through her career, community work, or quiet acts of kindness, she embodied compassion, integrity, and strength. She was known not only for what she accomplished, but for the way she made people feel—seen, valued, and encouraged. Her impact reached far beyond her immediate family. She gave generously of her time and talents, leading initiatives that improved lives, mentoring younger generations, and offering wisdom that shaped entire communities.

Her career took her across the globe—to Europe, Africa, and the Asia-Pacific region—where she not only shared her expertise but also absorbed the richness of different cultures and perspectives. She was a firm believer that the practice of medicine, and life itself, was strengthened by curiosity, compassion, and courage. She often said that nursing was not just about medicine, but about listening, holding a hand, and helping people feel seen during their most vulnerable moments.

Barbara was witty, funny, insightful, caring, and humble. She had a gift for finding humor in everyday life, often paired with a quick, unfiltered tongue that left family and friends laughing and sometimes a little speechless. She was a brilliant conversationalist—one who could make you laugh until your sides hurt, then turn around and deliver wisdom that stayed with you for years.

She read three newspapers a day before her discovery of Instagram reels. Her grandchildren affectionately knew her as “the boo boo fixer,” offering care, love, and a knowing gaze at every one of life’s turns. She was famous for her early morning calls, her thoughtful advice, and her boundless love.

At home, she was the center of gravity. A gifted cook whose meals brought family and friends together, she believed food was love made visible. She loved music, travel, dancing, and flowers. She was the matriarch of her family, serving as a grandmother, a mother, or a beloved big sister to everyone she knew. Those who knew Barbara will remember her courage in the face of challenges, her fierce love for her family, her commitment to justice and care, her sharp sense of humor, and her zest for life. She was not one to sit quietly in the background—she lived, spoke, laughed, and danced with authenticity and spirit, leaving the world brighter for her presence.

Her life was one of service, courage, intellect, and joy. Barbara will be remembered not only for the thousands of patients whose lives she eased, but also for the countless friends and family whose lives she enriched. Her Christian faith sustained her through every season of life, and she faced each day with hope, humility, and an unshakable belief in God’s promise of eternal life.

Barbara leaves to cherish her memory her loving children, Lisa Marian Skeete Tatum, Sharise Monique Skeete, and Donavan Joseph Lewis, Jr.; her devoted husband of 23 years, Ronald Alexander Mason, Sr.; her cherished grandchildren, Tai Aidan Tatum and Kylan Ming Tatum; her adored son-in-law, Mark Alrick Tatum; her sister, Diane Fleming Young; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends who had the eternal pleasure of knowing her. Barbara was preceded in death by her mother, Doris Pennington Fleming Greely, her father, Walter Alvin Fleming, and her sister, Valerie Fleming.