Dr. Scott W. Lewis

Scott W. Lewis was born on December 30, 1946 and died on September 28, 2023. He lived a worthwhile life - successful, deeply loved by his wife of 54 years and his daughter, and universally liked by all who met him. He will be fondly remembered and profoundly missed.

Scott was born to parents Francis Lewis and Margery Lewis (nee Diller) and grew up in Belleville, Illinois, where he made lifelong friends, enjoyed the outdoors, and was certified as an Eagle Scout by the Boy Scouts of America. After graduating high school, Scott attended University of Illinois, where he was a member of the Alpha Tau Omega (ATO) fraternity, and he graduated in 1968 with a B.S. degree in chemistry.

Thereafter Scott joined the Air Force. In 1969, he completed officer training school in Texas whereupon he was designated as a Distinguished Graduate of Air Force Training School, an honor denoting that during his training he had demonstrated an unusual degree of the ability, initiative, and other leadership qualities essential to successful performance of duty as an Air Force Officer.

That same year, he married his lifelong love, Linda Lewis (nee Baltz), at a ceremony at the Officer’s Club at Scott Air Force Base in Belleville, Illinois, before the couple moved to California where Scott was stationed in the Air Force and where the couple forged some of their longest and deepest friendships.

Scott went on to serve as a Captain in the Air Force, flying missions as a navigator of the 70th Air Refueling Squadron in the Vietnam War. Scott was the recipient of numerous awards and recognitions for his service, including receipt of The Air Medal for Meritorious Achievement While Participating in Aerial Flight.

In 1973, he left the Air Force to attend the Southern California College of Optometry, where he graduated, magna cum laude and as a member of the Beta Sigma Kappa Honor Society, as a Doctor of Optometry in 1977. He practiced optometry and was a member of the American Optometric Association for over fifty years. For the majority of those years, he owned and operated his own private practice in Waterloo, Illinois, where he made his home with his family and was active in the community. He was passionate about his practice, a doctor of the highest quality and integrity, and genuinely cared about the wellbeing of each and every one of his patients throughout the years of his practice.

In 1983, Scott and his wife Linda gave birth to a daughter, Sara Lewis. Scott was a dedicated, supportive, and loving father always. For all those who knew Scott, they knew that of all his achievements, he was most proud of Sara and his legacy that will continue on through her.

Ultimately no individual’s life can or should be reduced to a list of places, degrees, careers, or even survivors. The impact that Scott had, and has, on this world is extraordinary and not capable of being summarized in a brief obituary. He was by all accounts kind, generous, patient, intelligent, funny, and, simply put, a good man.

Scott was predeceased by his parents and is survived by his wife (Linda Lewis), daughter (Sara Lewis and her partner, Siddharth Prabhu), and sister-in-law (Jane Edwards).

Visitation will be from 10:00am to 12:00 pm on Monday, October 2nd, 2023 at Valhalla Gaerdner Holten Funeral Home, Belleville, Illinois.

Funeral will be at 12:00pm on Monday, October 2nd, 2023 at Valhalla Gaerdner Holten Funeral Home, Belleville, Illinois.

Contributions in memory of Scott can be made to Helping Strays of the Monroe County Humane Society, in recognition of Scott’s and his family’s love of dogs.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.ValhallaGardensandFuneralHome.com for the Lewis family.