James David Lewis

Jim grew up in a neighborhood of his extended family - grandparents, aunts and uncles. He was the youngest son to Victor C. and Gertrude M.M. Lewis who owned and operated the Lewis Lumber Company off Ben Maddox Way for many years. Logging and lumber was a family business on his maternal grandfather’s side. Many fond childhood memories were made in the mountains of Tulare County. Along with his older siblings Gertrude, Victor and Gene, riding logs on their grandfather’s logging truck, fishing and boating were favorite activities. Summers were often spent at Klamath, CA, camping, fishing and boating on the Klamath River - experiences Jim talked about his entire life. The tradition of annual campouts with family continued throughout his lifetime, moving a little closer to home at Hume Lake where he would delight everyone with his fireside recitations.

Jim attended Deep Creek Elementary School, one of nine graduates his 8th Grade year, which was a short bicycle ride from his family home on 9th Avenue East. Transferring to Visalia to attend High School was a scary and difficult change. Jim was in the 1953 graduating class of Visalia High School, now known as Mount Whitney. He was great at mathematics and fascinated by anything mechanical. While in High School he worked for his dad at the lumber company and developed an enthusiastic interest in cars. Jim also became a big brother at the age of 14 with the birth of his sister Lorene.

The time between 1953 and 1957 led Jim through 2 years at College of the Sequoias and 2 years in the United States Army. The military took him to El Paso, TX and Chicago, IL which he disliked due to the bitter winter cold and missing home.

Although she loved him from afar in high school, Peggy Anne Maness didn’t marry Jim until September 17, 1960. After graduating from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in 1961, it was off to Southern California for a job at Ralston Purina. While living in Pasadena and San Gabriel, Peggy and Jim welcomed two beautiful daughters to the world, Deborah Ann in 1962 and Carolyn Darlene in 1965.

A bold decision in 1967 created life-long memories for Jim and his young family. Jim took a six month hiatus from work to take a driving excursion to Alaska. Joining them were Gertrude & John Fly and the Fly’s young sons, Jeff, Grant and Brett, Victor Lewis, and Sam the dog. Over 40 years later with children, grandsons and brother Victor in tow, Jim and Peggy returned to Alaska by cruise ship to celebrate their Golden Anniversary. Many a fond memory was relived; roadside tuna sandwiches, waiting for transmission parts in Ketchikan, big pancakes, and even bigger mosquitoes.

In the late 1960’s Jim and Peggy had the opportunity to return to the Central Valley with Jim accepting a job with the Beacon Oil Refinery in Hanford, CA. Shortly thereafter, a son, Michael David, was born in 1969 completing their family. Living near Visalia, most weekends were spent with extended family, parents, grandparents, siblings, aunts, uncles, numerous cousins, nieces and nephews. Holidays, waterskiing vacations, and four-wheeling expeditions in his 1972 Ford Bronco were amongst Jim’s favorite family activities.

Jim was also active in church serving as a deacon, church treasurer, singing in the choir and leading bible study. He was a member of Toastmasters International and a 4-H dad – supporting projects like sugar beets, sheep and public speaking. One of Jim’s greatest professional accomplishments was earning his mechanical engineering degree and becoming a registered professional engineer with the State of California.

Jim had a pleasant demeanor and was usually easy going. He delighted in teasing and joking, especially with children, like making his fake tooth disappear and reappear or talking like Donald Duck. Jim was fastidious in penmanship, appearance and personal chores. Something as mundane as washing the car or shining his shoes was done to perfection. He was a savvy investor who independently provided for his family, their education and their futures beyond his own. Jim’s friends were true friends. James Welch, from his days at Deep Creek Elementary, now of Albany, OR and Wayne Gann from his college years, now living in Sparks, NV still kept in touch and spoke often by phone.

Jim and Peggy supported their children’s education and varied career choices. Deborah followed in her father’s footsteps attending Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo where she achieved a Masters in Business. Carolyn pursued her Masters in Social Work and recently reached 25 years of service to children and families in Los Angeles County. Michael received his Bachelors degree in Graphic Design, he has spent the last 23 years in Disney entertainment.

Daughter Deborah married educator and coach Mark Siverly in 1987. Jim took an interest in having another son in the family and a fellow Cal Poly Alumnus. Jim and Peggy enjoyed attending many of Mark’s basketball games to cheer for his teams.

In 1990 and again in 1992, Jim was made a proud grandfather when David James Siverly and Benjamin George Siverly were born. He embraced the role of grandfather, encouraging extracurricular activities and strengthening their character – helping make them the men they are today.

Jim retired from his professional life in 1996 to enjoy more time with his family, travel and read. In the summer of 2006, Jim experienced a would-be fatal heart attack which left him memory impaired. Peggy lovingly cared for him for the next 11 years, restoring his health and acting as his protector. Along with their family they continued to travel some and enjoyed like together as much as possible. In recent years when physical travel became too difficult, Jim loved to live vicariously through maps. He would retrace past trips and dream of future returns to Morro Bay, the Sierras or Klamath.

Jim passed away peacefully in the early morning hours of October 12, 2017 with family at his side. He was a quiet, kind, caring and generous person whose legacy will continue through all who knew and loved him.

Jim is survived by his wife of 57 years, Peggy; children Deborah Siverly and husband Mark of Visalia, Carolyn Lewis of Pasadena, Michael Lewis of Pasadena; sisters Gertrude Fly, Gene Lemke and Lorene Clark; brother Victor Lewis of Visalia; grandsons David Siverly of Fresno and Benjamin Siverly of Denver, CO.

A special thank you to Dr. Robert L. Bennett of Fresno for his many years of cardiac care.

The family requests remembrances in lieu of flowers be sent to the following charities: Leon S. Peters Burn Center at Community Regional Medical Center, Shriner’s Hospital for Children, St. Jude’s Hospital for Children, and Susan G. Komen for Breast Cancer Research.F

Funeral services will be held on Friday, October 20 at 10:30 am at the Miller Memorial Chapel in Visalia, CA.