Our father and husband was a man who lived a full and purposeful life. He strived to appreciate and think kindly of everyone he met. Smoke was born at the onset of The Great Depression, and his upbringing instilled his desire for an education and hard work. After graduating high school in Nelsonville, Ohio, he made his way by earning a football scholarship to Graceland College (now University) in Lamoni, Iowa and continuing his football and academic career at the University of Dubuque in Dubuque, Iowa earning a BS in Business Administration. Smoke continued his schooling by earning a Degree of Juris Doctorate from Northwestern School of Law at Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Ore. He lived for the outdoors as noted by his years spent working in the forests as a logger and then as a protector of the woods for the U.S. Forest Service as a contracting officer/attorney. Smoke never missed an opportunity to commune with nature on his hunting trips with his friends. He also expressed his love of country and protected it by serving in active duty in Japan, Korea, Okinawa, Vietnam and continued his services in the reserves for the USMC for 30 years retiring from the military with the rank of Colonel. He lived most of his life with his wife and daughters in Portland. As he moved into the leisure lifestyle of retirement he traveled to Norway, Ireland, England, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, and France with his family along with numerous trips to Ohio and all over the United States. Smoke enjoyed playing sports starting, as a boy with baseball, and then playing basketball, football, and track and field in high school. He continued playing baseball in the military and passed on his enjoyment of sports to his eldest daughter. He enjoyed composing stories, especially memoirs and was an avid student of history. To his younger daughter, he passed on his passion for history and writing.
Wayne moved from his time here on earth to join his family and friends in the hereafter. He was preceded in death by his parents, Grover C. Lewis and Ada Lilian (Traugh) Lewis. He also joins his siblings, William Lewis, Jack Lewis, Barbara Lewis, and Sue Lewis. In addition to his family, he joins his many friends who predeceased him.
He is survived and missed by his wife of 51 years, Marilyn; and his daughters, Erin (Ted) Lewis and Kelly (Bob) Jones; grandson, Nicholas Jones; and granddaughter, Kate Jones. He also leaves his sisters, Virginia (Bruce) Dearing, Ruth Lewis; nephew, Brett Dearing; niece, Laura (Dearing) McAnallen; great-niece, Sarah Dearing; great-great-niece Addie Dearing, and many friends.
A graveside service will be held at 10:00 a.m., Saturday, June 26, 2021 in Shaw Cemetery, Falls Township, Hocking County, Ohio where a military service will be conducted by the Hocking County Honor Guard.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the USMC Toys for Tots Foundation® or Grieg Lodge Scholarship Fund.
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