Today is the 85th Anniversary of His Birth

OFFICIAL AND PUBLISHED OBITUARY


 Charles Robert (Bob) Lewis of Sarasota, formerly of Hudson, NY, died Wednesday, December1, 2021 at the age of 84. He was born December 7, 1936 to Robert T. and Emabel (Pemberton) Lewis at Independence, MO. He graduated from the University of Colorado with a BS in Accounting in 1958 and from Nashotah House Seminary with a MDiv in 1965. After ordination in the Episcopal Church, he served parishes in Wisconsin and Missouri before going to the historic Christ Church Episcopal in Hudson, NY in 1973. He served as Rector there until retiring in 1999. He moved to Sarasota FL in 2003 with Keith Hedrick, his life-long partner of 37 years, who predeceased him.

Survivors include two sisters, two half-brothers, nieces, and nephews.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

My words

Bob was a treasured member of the Sarasota based group of ageing gay men, called "Ben's Bar".  Bob had a powerful aversion to being photographed; hence there is no photo' of him.

He was a man of few words, never using two words if one would do.

Zion and I  were privileged to visit him many time in the recent years when he lived at Discovery Village at Sarasota Bay.  My final visit was just four days before his death.

His death six days before his birthday was not unexpected. We will miss him, but none of us is in deep grief.

My sentiments are expressed in the first line of a hymn by Charles Wesley  (which is never sung these days): "Rejoice for our brother  departed, our loss is his excellent gain"



 Not too much of Bob to see in this pic.  Here he is giving Zion a treat.



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Shoe insults

Last year I consulted with a local podiatrist: Dr. Robert F Herbold Jr. D.P.M. 4717 Swift Rd., Sarasota , FL – 34231  because I was being bothered with a couple of bunions  (yes I am at that age). I was very impressed with this Doctor.  He agreed that I had bunions, but he ventured that it was much too soon for surgery. (Now there’s a first). Instead he recommended some “arch supports” to relieve the tension for my feet, a tension which was exacerbating the bunions. What’s more -  he told me that he sells these arch supports at the miserly sum of $2.50 each (about 1/5 of the price in the local pharmacies). He is an honest man, and I recommend him to anyone with foot problems. So, a couple of weeks ago, having purchased some new walking shoes, I knew that I needed to buy a couple of new arch supports I took myself to his office. Once there, my mind went blank. I wanted to ask his front desk Clerk if I could buy some “shoe inserts” , as I could not remember the words “ar
Read more

The background, the couple, my friends, the wedding ceremony, the Shaykh, the Priest,

Image
The background   I have known the Keller/Bonsey family since 2000 when I became the Rector at St. James's, Cambridge, MA. They (Elisabeth Keller and the Revd. Steven Bonsey with their four children Noah, Sam, Josiah and Annie) had come back to Cambridge from Hawaii where Steve had been the Rector of an Episcopal parish. Steve had just been appointed as a Chaplain at Tufts University (no Sunday morning duties) so the entire family was able to enrich our common life at St. James's - which they did with great love and joy. I count them as friends and have stayed in touch with them since my retirement.  Noah, the oldest son is eloquent in Arabic (he spent a year in Damascus when Syria was a safe place).  He has developed a super career as an analyst of social media in the near East.    Noah worked in Tampa for a while a few years ago, so he and I were able to get together a few
Read more

It began in Bristol U.K. "A man dies" and "Jesus Christ Superstar"

Image
I well remember the swirling controversy in Bristol, U.K. when a (Presbyterian) Minister the Revd, Earnest Marviin created a ":Rock Opera", called "A Man Dies"  in and for his congregation in the Lockleaze area of Bristol, U.K. Earnest Mrvin I was a sixteen years old member of the Plymouth Brethren Church back in those days, so I most likely disapproved of "A Man Dies" .  We, (the Plymouth Brethren),  disapproved of everything! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I had forgotten all about "A Man Dies" until earlier today when saw these pictures on the "Bristol, Then and Now"  Facebook page.   St. James Presbyterian Church, Lockleaze, Bristol  The Bristol Then and Now page includes the following commentary: Lockleaze, Bristol  -  'Jesus Christ Superstar' began at St.James (Presbyterian) Chur
Read more