John Austin Lewis, PhD., teacher of philosophy and insatiable lover of family, friends and life itself. Austin was born 1 May 1951 in Louisville, KY, son of the late Dr. John M and Jean M Lewis. His father completed his career as a minister, teacher and theologian with a 27-year pastorate at First Baptist Church in Raleigh, NC where Austin spent most of his formative years. Austin continued his parent's efforts to break down social barriers and emulate personal tolerance.
He challenged social conventions with youthful enthusiasm, but always with a genuine interest in other's concerns. He was an independent thinker, known for his effectiveness in engendering student's interests in philosophy for over 25 years by using impish humor and energetic scholarship. He taught at Georgia State University, Texas A&M, Skidmore College and SUNY Potsdam, but found at Marquette University, for the last nine years of his life, and along the shore of Lake Michigan his best living and now his final resting place.
He enjoyed sailing with the Milwaukee Community Sailing Center. He was an enthusiastic member/leader of the local Swing Dance community from which he drew great joy and fashioned everlasting friendships. He likewise remained devoted to his childhood trails in Raleigh, Morehead City and Ridgecrest, NC, and because of his excessively faithful collecting of personal photos, furniture and artifacts, those who wait to be with him again will enjoy his continuing presence.
Austin earned his Associate Degree with honors from Sandhills Community College, in Pinehurst, NC and his BA, MA and Ph.D from Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia where he was also named a member of Phi Beta Kappa.
He is survived by his friend and companion Sue Lamb of Milwaukee and a circle of other devoted friends; sister, Jeannie Jessup and her husband, Julian; brother, David Austin, all of North Carolina; sister-in-law, Beth Lewis; nephews Ryan and Patrick Jessup; nieces, Liz and Mary Lewis, numerous close cousins, the Galvan family of Bayview and a wide circle of friends now wait to laugh, sail and dance with him again somewhere over the rainbow.
A Celebration of Austin's life was held on 16 Jul 2008 at the Marian Center in Milwaukee.
Austin and Rea (Ray) Tyler and I went to the beach in high school together. before we went out, his father gave us a lecture on drink. "Why would anyone risk alcoholism ...." well at 17 I couldn't believe such a problem existed. I grew up in an Air Force family. That must have been a problem for 'civilians'. How right Dr. Lewis was. Austin was one of the most underatnding and pleasant people in my early life. I had no idea how rotten the world was, or the level of degeneracy people could sink too. Both the Lewis's were well above their peers.
Brenda Love (Gaffney)
John Austin Lewis (1 May 1951 - 30 Jun 2008)
Brenda Love (Gaffney)
John Austin Lewis, PhD., teacher of philosophy and insatiable lover of family, friends and life itself. Austin was born 1 May 1951 in Louisville, KY, son of the late Dr. John M and Jean M Lewis. His father completed his career as a minister, teacher and theologian with a 27-year pastorate at First Baptist Church in Raleigh, NC where Austin spent most of his formative years. Austin continued his parent's efforts to break down social barriers and emulate personal tolerance.
He challenged social conventions with youthful enthusiasm, but always with a genuine interest in other's concerns. He was an independent thinker, known for his effectiveness in engendering student's interests in philosophy for over 25 years by using impish humor and energetic scholarship. He taught at Georgia State University, Texas A&M, Skidmore College and SUNY Potsdam, but found at Marquette University, for the last nine years of his life, and along the shore of Lake Michigan his best living and now his final resting place.
He enjoyed sailing with the Milwaukee Community Sailing Center. He was an enthusiastic member/leader of the local Swing Dance community from which he drew great joy and fashioned everlasting friendships. He likewise remained devoted to his childhood trails in Raleigh, Morehead City and Ridgecrest, NC, and because of his excessively faithful collecting of personal photos, furniture and artifacts, those who wait to be with him again will enjoy his continuing presence.
Austin earned his Associate Degree with honors from Sandhills Community College, in Pinehurst, NC and his BA, MA and Ph.D from Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia where he was also named a member of Phi Beta Kappa.
He is survived by his friend and companion Sue Lamb of Milwaukee and a circle of other devoted friends; sister, Jeannie Jessup and her husband, Julian; brother, David Austin, all of North Carolina; sister-in-law, Beth Lewis; nephews Ryan and Patrick Jessup; nieces, Liz and Mary Lewis, numerous close cousins, the Galvan family of Bayview and a wide circle of friends now wait to laugh, sail and dance with him again somewhere over the rainbow.
A Celebration of Austin's life was held on 16 Jul 2008 at the Marian Center in Milwaukee.
Francis Hale
Austin and Rea (Ray) Tyler and I went to the beach in high school together. before we went out, his father gave us a lecture on drink. "Why would anyone risk alcoholism ...." well at 17 I couldn't believe such a problem existed. I grew up in an Air Force family. That must have been a problem for 'civilians'. How right Dr. Lewis was. Austin was one of the most underatnding and pleasant people in my early life. I had no idea how rotten the world was, or the level of degeneracy people could sink too. Both the Lewis's were well above their peers.