Gwendolyn Smith Clapp Lewis passed away on April 22, 2021 in her home in the care of family and friends; including her beloved husband Richard Evans Lewis and best friend Heather Giancarlo. Gwen was born on May 12th, 1935 to Hazel and Louis Smith in Narrowsburg, New York.
Voted “Most Likely to Succeed” in High School, she followed through in every detail throughout her life. After obtaining a degree in Accounting at the University of Rochester, she moved to New York City to become the only female accountant in a large firm. In New York, she met her husband Charles Clapp, then moved to Houston, obtained an MBA degree from the University of Houston and worked for many years as a CPA. She was a long-time member of the National Junior League and The Harris County Heritage Society.
Following Charles’ death, she met and married Richard in 1993. Gwen liked to tease that she had children the easy way: by marrying into a family of six children. All of Richard’s children appreciated Gwen’s sage advice, friendship, love – and especially the loving companionship she shared with their father over the last twenty-eight years.
For nearly twenty years, Gwen spent summers volunteering at the Rocky Mountain National Park in Grand Lake, Colorado. She was a proud Master Gardener and enjoyed surrounding her home with colorful plants and flowers, often with custom arrangements she created herself. Gwen was an excellent cook and loved entertaining friends and family. Her favorite books were cookbooks which were earmarked throughout and filled with personal notations. Gwen’s meals were always enjoyed over beautiful table settings with lively conversation and wonderful food.
She is survived by her husband Richard Lewis; sisters Eileen Smith Leto of Southern Pines NC and Patricia Smith Hanrehan of Washington DC, her six children through Richard; Amy Lewis Branch of Golden CO, Elizabeth Lewis Pratson of Chapel Hill, NC, Stephen Lewis and Evan Lewis of Kingwood, TX, and Richard Lewis II and Wendy Lewis Carnegie of Austin, TX, as well as their spouses, fifteen grandchildren, two great grandchildren, nieces and nephew. She is preceded in death by her parents, previous husband Charles Clapp and her brother Louis Smith II.
A memorial will be held at a later date at Memorial Drive United Methodist Church.
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