Add a personal eulogy to John.

John W. Lewis, Jr.

John was born on November 5th, 1964 to the late John W. Lewis, Sr. and Lil Lewis in Ft. Monroe, VA. He grew up primarily in Virginia Beach, VA where he graduated from Bayside High School in 1982. John attended college at Norfolk State University and DeVry Institute in Columbus, OH before enlisting in the Army in 1983. John was such an outstanding soldier that he was selected to attend the United States Military Academy Preparatory School (USMAPS) in preparation for entering West Point. It was at USMAPS that John met his future wife, Trudy. They both graduated from West Point in 1989 and married on June 3rd, 1989.

John’s lifelong goal and calling was to be a soldier. He was extremely proud of his military service and accomplishments. John earned the Expert Infantry Badge, Parachutist (Airborne) Badge, Air Assault Badge, and foremost, the Ranger Tab. John wore his badges and Ranger Tab constantly, even on his civilian clothes after he left the Army in 1997.

John was a great athlete. He ran track in high school and lettered in Lightweight (150 lb.) Football at West Point even though he had to starve himself every week to make weight. He was that dedicated. He was an avid bicyclist when he lived in Texas and was a member or the Tyler, TX Cycling Club. More recently, John played softball for several years on Trudy’s laboratory’s softball team and coached her lab’s basketball team.

John’s latest passion was motorcycles. He loved to ride and riding brought him great pleasure and stress relief. He decorated his newest motorcycle, a Suzuki GSXR 1000, with a military theme. He always watched MotoGP races during racing season and admired the champion Valentino Rossi.

John never met a stranger. He had a 1000-watt smile and always hammed it up for the camera. Everyone who knew him liked him immediately. He was well known for his love of ice cream. He loved ice cream sandwiches, vanilla, and cookies and cream. John thought a serving of ice cream sandwiches was the entire box. If ice cream was being served, John was there. He loved being around children, and they loved him. He had one niece, Riley Jones; and four nephews: Aaron Bryant, Daniyel Artis, Adam Bryant, and Alex Bryant. He had three godchildren, Erika and J.C. Hardy, and Tre Lee. Many kids knew him as “Uncle John”. He also loved enjoyed rap music and recently discovered a love for country music.

Over the past couple of years John worked for Woodmen of the World Life Insurance Company. John was attracted to Woodmen because the company is a Fraternal Insurance Company and their views on Life and Family begin with the love of Family and Country. John was extremely active on the fraternal side of Woodmen. He helped start a new project for the Woodmen in Ohio, Called the Woodmen Disaster Action Team, which reacted most recently to the hurricanes on the gulf coast. It is estimated that John was personally responsible for over 5000 meals being served to the devastated homeless in the gulf region. On top of that project, John helped equip the disaster team and personally presented over 250 United States flags in the Columbus and surrounding areas. John was also extremely active with the Woodmen youth program and attended the youth camps in the summer time and was a great roll model to all.

He was very active in Grace Community Church in Tyler, TX, attended the Multi-Cultural Worship Center when he lived in Upper Marlboro, MD and most recently loved being a part of the motorcycle ministry at the Grove City Church of the Nazarene in Ohio.

John leaves behind his wife, Trudy Jones Lewis; mother, Lil Lewis of Norfolk, VA; sister, Pamela Lewis of Silver Spring, MD; in-laws, Dr. and Mrs. William H. Jones; uncles: George Bolden, Sr. and Dr. Vernie Bolden, three aunts: Janie Bolden, Margie Bolden, and Madeline Bolden; two sisters-in-law, Rochann Calloway, and Sabrina Jones, and two brothers-in-law: Randy Jones and Danny Calloway; several cousins and many, many friends. He was preceded in death by his father, John W. Lewis, Sr. and his uncle, Donald Bolden.

He will be sincerely missed.