Obituary for David Edwin Lewis
COLEBROOK – David Edwin “Eddie” Lewis, 90, of Colebrook, passed away at his home on Saturday, Oct. 16, 2021, after a long period of declining health.
Ed was born in Colebrook on April 28, 1931, a son to the late Charles J. and Sophia R. (Slowick) Lewis, Sr. He was raised and educated in Colebrook, was a graduate of the Class of 1949 from Colebrook Academy, and later attended the U.S. Naval Academy, graduating in 1954. He later attended the post-graduate studies at the Naval College in Monterey, Calif., obtaining a degree in communications engineering.
Eddie’s naval career spanned more than 25 years, and he retired in 1979 at the rank of Commander. His career took him all over the world, and he was wounded aboard the U.S.S. Liberty in the Mediterranean Sea when the nation of Israel attacked the ship, claiming a mistaken identification of the ship. For the rest of his life, Eddie bore the scars of that day, and he was deeply involved with the group of survivors, proving that the state of Israel and the Johnson administration deliberately staged the attack to try and draw the U.S. into the Israeli-Egyptian Six-Day War in 1967. In 2018, he was a central figure and collaborator in the book “Blood In the Water” which chronicles this dark episode of American military history.
Eddie also was a proud member of the Free & Accepted Masons and was a 50+-year member and Past Master of Evening Star Lodge #37 in Colebrook. He also held many other positions and memberships in many other appendant Masonic bodies, both locally and nationally. Eddie was also a life-long and faithful member of the Monadnock Congregational Church.
He leaves behind his wife, Dolores (LaCasse) Lewis of Colebrook; two sons, Michael C. Lewis and wife Paula of Chesapeake, Va., and Christopher J. Lewis and wife Wanda of Minneapolis, Minn.; a brother, Palmer Lewis and wife Ruth of Colebrook; a sister, Lynda Biron and husband James of Colebrook; six grandchildren, Keith, Benjamin, Johnny, Seth, Peter and Abby; as well as numerous nieces and nephews.
Eddie is predeceased by three brothers, Harold S. Lewis, Darwin “Buddy” Lewis and Charles J. Lewis, Jr., and a sister, Patricia Ann Lewis.
Calling hours will be on Thursday, Oct. 21, 2021, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Jenkins & Newman Funeral Home in Colebrook. A Masonic Lodge of Sorrow will immediately precede the visitation at the funeral home at 5:45. A funeral service will be held the next morning, Friday, Oct. 22, at 11 a.m. at the Monadnock Congregational Church in Colebrook. Interment will be private in the Colebrook Village Cemetery.
Expressions of sympathy in memory of Cdr. Lewis may be made to MasoniCare, Evergreen Place, 813 Beech St., Manchester, NH 03104.
Condolences may be offered to the family on-line by going to www.jenkinsnewman.com.