Roger Guy Lewis

Roger joined his beloved wife, Ruth Lewis on February 15, 2023.  His battle with dementia robbed him of memories, but his passing with the Lord was peaceful. The family is grateful to Woodlawn Meadows Memory Care, Hastings, Michigan, for the loving environment provided to him for the past sixteen months.

Roger was born March 6, 1933 in Hammond, Indiana and spent his High School years in Rensselaer, Indiana. He was a High School football star and graduated in 1952.  He worked for 30 years at Purdue University and was a resident and active community member in Mulberry, Indiana. He was involved in the Clinton County Conservation Club, was a Boy Scout Troop leader and an avid sports fan with favorites of Purdue Football and Women's Basketball.  He was a past president of the Mulberry Community Club and for over a decade cooked the Pork Chops at the "Feast of the Hunter's Moon." The magnitude of this annual project was over a thousand chops cooked on an open-pit fire in 48 hours.

Roger and Ruth were married for 49½ years and resided in the 1873 "Dr. Erheart Home" in the center of Mulberry. After remodeling the historic home, they owned the "Whiffletree Antique Shop" for 20 years.  During retirement they traveled to National Parks and Roger's favorite trip was to New Zealand with the International Friendship Force (started by Jimmy Carter) to promote peace and tolerance.

Roger loved playing with his grandchildren and traveled every Sunday for four years to Culver Academy to visit his granddaughter in High School. Described as an outdoors man, he enjoyed hobbies of fishing and hunting. Creating adventure-filled memories, during the 1960s Roger took the family camping and traveled with other families to California and South Dakota. He taught his daughter to dance and his sons to play basketball and football.  In his later years, Roger became known as the Chocolate Chip Cookie Guy. He made homemade cookies several times a week and gave joy and deliciousness to charities, neighbors, friends and family. His faith and kindness were evident for fifty years at the Mulberry Methodist Church where he was a member and leader.

Roger was proceeded in death by his father, Cecil Phillip Lewis and his mother Rose Marie Lewis (Young). He was also preceded in death by his brother Herbert Lewis, his wife Ruth Lewis (Parrish), and son-in-law David Wayne Boggs.

He is survived by his brother Phillip Lewis (Sharon) of Rensselaer, Indiana; his three children Sheryl (Sherry) Lewis-Blake (Jim) of Hastings, Michigan; son Mark Alan Lewis (Mary) of Garland, Texas; and son Brian Wayne Lewis (Diane) of Lanesville, Indiana. Grandchildren include William Lewis (Brittany) of Leadville, Colorado; Scott Lewis (Jessica) of Floyd's Knob, Indiana; Jessie Lewis-Fulton (John) of Lanesville, Indiana; Amber Doris of Garland, Texas; and Clarissa Lewis Boggs-Blake (Brianna) of Evergreen, Colorado.  Great grandchildren include Kai Lewis, Ronan Lewis, and Caleb Lewis.

A Memorial Service will be held at Emmanuel Episcopal Church in Hastings, Michigan on Saturday, March 11, 2023 at 2:00pm.  Family and guests are invited to a reception following the service.  In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Roger may be sent to the Mulberry United Methodist Church, PO Box 339, Mulberry, Indiana 46058. Services provided by Girrbach Funeral Home, Hastings, Michigan. To leave online condolences visit www.girrbachfuneralhome.net.