Bernard M. Lewis

Born six weeks prematurely, Bernard Lewis went on to thrive for almost 96 years as a friend, husband, father, civic leader, raconteur, multi-generational patriarch, and overall mensch. Capping a life of extraordinarily good luck, he was enjoying being with all his descendants and their partners at a family reunion when he began a mercifully short decline. In his final hours he was encircled by his four children, with his grandchildren nearby. His passing follows that of his beloved wife of 72 years, Hanna, last year.

Bernard was born and raised in Houston, the son of Joseph and Lena (Getz) Lewis and brother of the late Philip Lewis and Freda Fox. After graduating from San Jacinto High School, he attended the Pennsylvania College of Optometry in Philadelphia, the city where he met his future wife. Shortly after his marriage to Hanna in 1950, the couple moved to Cleveland, TX, where Bernard practiced optometry for 49 years.

Bernard was an engaged civic leader. Among the many ways he served his community, he was a 32nd degree Mason and active in the Cleveland Chamber of Commerce, Rotary Club, and school board. He was president of the school board during the tumultuous years of court-ordered racial integration, bravely taking a stand for integration at a time when it was not easy to take a strong public position. Later in life, he and Hanna volunteered to record books for the blind, sharing their love of literature with others.

In his private life, Bernard cultivated numerous decades-long friendships. Those fortunate enough to hear him speak at gatherings knew him to be a superb off-the-cuff speaker and storyteller (with any errors in factual detail zealously corrected by his wife). In an era less fitness-oriented than today's, he diligently maintained an exercise regimen that helped him remain physically active into his 90s. His baritone voice and playful grin stayed youthful and buoyant to the end.

His greatest legacy was his warmth and caring for friends and family. That legacy is palpable in the periodic reunions of Bernard and Hanna's family. After 15 years and eight reunions, with its members often living thousands of miles apart, they joyfully reconnect every two years. The message of his chosen epitaph has been imparted to future generations: "He loved and was loved."

Bernard is mourned by his children Ellen Grayson (Stephen, deceased), Anne Lewis (David Morris), Paul Lewis, Kay Brodesky (Robert); seven grandchildren, and 11 great grandchildren.

There will be a funeral and memorial service to honor Bernard's life on Friday, September 8 at 10:00 am, at Kingwood Funeral Home, 22800 US-59, Kingwood, TX. All are invited. In lieu of flowers, the family requests any donations be made to Temple Beth Torah in Humble, TX; Sight Into Sound (formally Taping for the Blind) in Houston; or a charity of your choice. Bernard will be buried alongside Hanna in a private cemetery.