Thank you all for coming today.
Before I begin I would like to express our family’s gratitude
to Father Paul, Eve, and St John Fisher as well as all our friends and family
who have made it here today.
I would also like to express what an honor it is for me to
speak about Gene.
For those of you who don’t know me, I am Ginny and Genes son Jeff.
Today, We are all here to celebrate the life of our friend,
our dad, our husband and our grandfather. Gene Carl Lewis.
Gene was born on August 25th 1933 in Allentown PA.
He grew up poor but he always used to say I didn’t realize I
was poor because as a kid we always had something to eat and a place to
live.
After his parent’s divorce Gene said his transition from
Pennsylvania to California was tough. He
was a senior in high school and had to make a new set of friends.
Although it was difficult in the beginning, Gene reflected
later in life that moving to CA was one of the best things that ever happened
to him…..besides meeting Ginny
Gene loved Southern California and lived in the South Bay for
nearly all of his adult life.
Gene would often express his gratitude for his stepfather Reggie
WIngo for encouraging him to go to college and funding his education at
USC.
During his college years he received his draft notice and
served a short time in the Army before returning to USC and graduating with a
degree in Electrical Engineering.
Gene’s first job out of school was with Northrop Grumman. He then transferred to the satellite division
of Hughes Aircraft and worked there from 1968 until he retired in 1998. Gene had Top Secret Clearances and was on the
front lines of the Cold War building spy satellites that ultimately helped bring
down the Soviet Union in 1991.
In 1986 after a divorce from his wife LaVerne, Gene signed up
for a dance class at Redondo union High school.
He said “I thought well I was only 52, I wasn't ready to lay
down and die so I took a ballroom dance class.”
My mom, Ginny, who was also recently divorced attended the same
class at the urging of a friend.
They were wearing name tags with their first and last names
when the dancing began. Gene noticed
Ginny’s name tag. He went over to
introduce himself and said I noticed we have the same last name. That is how
Ginny and Gene met for the first time and the rest is history.
They continued to dance together in class. Gene finally asked Ginny “would you like to
go try this somewhere else? They were
soon the dance power couple at Del Conte's in Torrance and anywhere else there
was a dance floor.
Gene soon became a nightly fixture around dinner time at our
home on Via Media. Little did we know then
but that was also the beginning of Gene becoming a permanent member of our
Lewis family.
Our gang was Ginny, myself, my brother Andy and my sister
Christy. It’s grown a lot since we added
Gene in 1986.
Gene Carl Lewis had an appreciation for the good things in
life including music, dancing, travel, food, wine, USC football and especially
friends and family.
He was an incredible ball room and swing dancer. He also
loved to western line dance with Ginny at Denim and Diamonds in SM back in the
80s.
Gene loved luaus in Hawaii.
When my brother and I were diving for cover as dancer came into the
audience looking for volunteers, Gene would have hand up. He loved to get on stage and dance the
Hula.
Gene was also an expert self taught skier. Old School and amazingly smooth on the slopes Really fun to watch. He and my brother bet who was the fastest
down the hill. The outcome and the
winner of the race was never determined with certainty. Gene said he won. Andy said he won. 25 years later they still argued about who
owned the Hill that day.
Mammoth Mountain was his place and he would often tell us
about the early days in the 60s of riding the bus after work on a Friday to ski
mammoth over the weekend only to be back at work early Monday .
Gene brought ski trips to Mammoth into our lives and was
especially proud seeing the grandkids take to the slopes.
Genes would always plan our annual Mammoth Super Bowl ski
weekend and Super Bowl betting pool …usually in June…He loved a cocktail at the
Yoddler and relaxing in the Jacuzzi
after a long day on the hill.
Gene also loved our family trips to Hawaii and introduced us
to the Mauni Lani on the Big Island. We
spent many fun days relaxing at the Beach Club and snorkeling in the
ocean. Gene hated salt water. The last time we went in 2014, I was
snorkeling with my daughters and I turn around and here comes Gene on a raft
kicking out into deep water just so he could be with the gang.
Gene also enjoyed trips to Palm Springs, Delaware,, Yosemite,
South Carolina, Disney World in Florida, Aspen, and Positano Italy for our
wedding in 2002.
Those of you who know Gene know that he was in his element
when he was given an assignment or something to plan whether it was a trip, a
dinner reservation a visit to Costco for a hot dog, Josette’s driving school or
Chelsea’s entire College career.
Gene was extremely proud of all the grandchildren. He gladly accepted the role of grandfather
and would always spoil them at Christmas time and birthdays. He never missed an event and was always
present and always encouraging. I know
he will be there in spirit when Chelsea and Lance get married next summer.
My wife Joyce and gene became the best of friends over the
years speaking almost daily on the phone planning the week’s family activities
and scheduling Ginny and Gene’s visit for babysitting duties. They never said no or complained when we
would get home late. Gene would be
asleep on the couch and upon waking, would give us a blow by blow accounting of
what the kids did or said while we were
out.
Gene was generous with his time and money. Always the first to pull out his wallet and
help with the tab. Whether it was a
dinner at Ws , school for one of the grandkids or helping Ginny buy her house
in Delaware.
In the 33 years I knew Gene, I never saw him cry until one
night at his house during dinner just after Chelsea had graduated from
college. He spoke with tears welling up
in his eyes of his Step Father Reggie helping through USC and how he had
finally paid it forward by helping Chelsea through her college years.
Gene loved Ginny and like our children, Gene took good care
of her. He was her best friend and
companion for 33 years.
Some Generisms is I will always remember..
Gene would always ask me “How’s your gang?” always wanting to
know about any new devlopments with the children.
“Hi, this is Gene. You
know what to do” on his answering machine.
“I like college football not pro football” would always be his
catch phrase when USC football began in the fall.
“if I was the coach, I would blow my brains out” was another
USC related geneism usually when USC would blow a lead and end up loosing the
game.
Gene would often watch Fox News…. at volume 100.
He was a sharp dresser and He liked liberally apply Polo cologne by RL
“Could you give me a ride to the airport at 5 am?” gene would
ask …Usually for a 9 am flight.” For
those of you who don’t know..it takes 30 minutes to get from his house to the
airport.
After 30 years plus of taking gene to the airport, he would
always inform me “ I take Hawthorne BLVD to Century” as we pulled out his
driveway. I began pretending I never heard him say that and I would ask him
before he volunteered..How do you go to the airport Gene? just
to hear him say it again. He would always
repeat his directions with a straight face as if I was hearing it for the first
time.
“ I will have the Maui Maui” Famous New Year’s Eve dinner at the Mammoth
Chart House when ordering the Mahi mahi
“We have enough food to feed the Chinese Army”
“Gin and Tonic with a Lemon not a lime. That’s how the British serve it” Gene learned this on his African Sufari in
1982. You didn’t want to be the waiter
who brought him a lime.
“ I said you have great ears” if you would ask “what did you
say gene?”
“Your mom’s cooking is outstanding”
Any dish that he liked
at a restaurant would aways get Gene’s “outstanding” rating
Before our children were born, Ginny and Gene’s home in RHE
became our home on Sunday nights. Joyce
and I would make our way over for spaghetti dinner, laundry, Sex and the City and the Sopranos’.
Our Gene passed away on May 24 at his home in Rolling Hills
with his beloved Ginny by his side. He
was three months shy of his 86 birthday.
Mom took care of Gene by herself the last year of his
life. It was very difficult and
extremely stressful at times but Ginny rarely asked for help. She showed me what it means to love someone
by her devotion, her silent strength and the care and patience she showed
Gene. He would often say to me “I don’t know what I
would do without Ginny” Mom I am so
proud of you. You are an example for us
all.
In closing,
I will remember my dad as a fun, stubborn, smart. Generous,
loyal man who was devoted to our family, who was liked by all, who was up for any adventure and a guy who just
wanted to be a part of the fun and part of the gang.
I know I will see Gene again one day in heaven. He will be wearing his favorite Tommy Bahamas
shirt, his USC cap, his POLO cologne, and his gold Rolex President. He will have a Tanquery and Tonic with a
lemon in his hand and he will say with a big smile, Hiya Jeff... How’s the
gang?”
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