George J. Lewis 1930-2019
George Jacob Lewis, 88, of Quincy, died Sunday, July 14, 2019, at Good Samaritan Home in Quincy.
George was born Aug. 17, 1930, in Rushville, to parents Dana Mendel Lewis and Gladys Elizabeth Hersman Lewis. He was raised working on his family's farm in Hersman. He graduated from Brown County High School in Mount Sterling in 1948.
As a student at the University of Illinois, he was elected to the board of directors of the university YMCA. He graduated with high honors and a B.S. degree in Agricultural Science. He was an honor student in the College of Law, and he was designated as a Fullbright Scholar to conduct legal research and study Law for a year at the University of London. Besides earning a certificate of completion from the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, University of London, George and Joan later co-authored a book detailing their adventure, "Rolling in the Isles."
On the Lewises return from England, George reported for active duty with the United States Air Force, where he "fought the Battle of Topeka" (as he called it), as a procurement officer. While there, he also took night classes at the Washburn Univeristy Law School. He was a member of the Kansas Bar Journal Review Board and authored an article in the Kansas Bar Journal on "Law and Electronics." After two years he was honorably discharged as a Captain, as well as advancing his education in Law, eventually earning a J.D. degree from the College of Law at the University of Illinois. He accomplished all of this before his 28th birthday.
In 1958 he moved his family to Quincy and commenced practicing law, where he did so successfully for 57 years. George was the senior partner in his law firm, which once had offices in Quincy, Mount Sterling, and Rushville. He served as vice president of the Adams County Bar Association; as a member of the Illinois and American Bar Associations; and served as chairman of the Illinois State Bar Association Committee for Legal Research by Electronics.
In 1970 George was elected as a delegate to the Sixth Illinois Constitutional Convention and served by appointment of the president as chairman of the Legislative Committee of the Convention. In that capacity, he contributed to the re-writing of the Illinois Constitution.
George is survived by children, Karen (Stephen) Forte of Bend, Oregone, Sheri (Mike) Jackson of Littleton, Colorado, and Gary (Debby Davis) Lewis of Quincy; grandchildren, Paul (Jennifer) Forte of Bend, Oregon, Michael (Stephanie Wuerth) Forte of Oakland, California, Jesse Jackson of Spokane Valley, Washington, and Mikki Jackson of Littleton, Colorado. He also stepgrandfathered many stepgrandchildren and stepgreat-grandchildren. Further survivors are brothers and sisters Jean Delap, Ruth Henderson, Dana (Anita) Lewis, Dick (Cheri Lee) Lewis, Charles (Marney) Lewis, Anne Ford, and Mary (Jack) Garland; numerous cousins; and many nieces and nephews.
In addition to his wife Joan Garrison Lewis, he was preceded in death by his parents; a daughter, Ronda Kay Lewis; a brother, John Lewis; brothers-in-law, John Henderson, Keith Delap, and Dave Ford; and sister-in-law, Katherine "Kay" Rose Governale Lewis.