Gene Harlow Lewis age 93, died Friday May 4, 2018, at Fleet Landing Assisted Living Facility, Atlantic Beach, Florida. Gene was born May 15, 1924, in Newcastle, WY, the daughter of the late Lloyd Newell Harlow and Frances McDonald Harlow. When she was 18 months old, Gene moved to Florida and then when her parents divorced, Gene and her mother, moved to Okeechobee, FL where Frances taught school.
After finishing high school, Gene spent one year at Florida State Women’s College in 1941. Gene was called to Duke University Nursing School in Durham, NC where she graduated in 1945, the same year she married Dr. Charles William Lewis, Jr. who preceded Gene in death on April 16, 2007. Gene served on the Board of the Visiting Nurses Association for 5 years and was Chairman of the Board in the 1970s.
In 1978, Gene joined a fledging group of volunteers called The Friends of Hospice, who were working to start a hospice program in northeast Florida. Gene was named the president of the hospice board. In 1979, the goal of this volunteer group became a reality when Hospice of Northeast Florida (Community Hospice of Northeast Florida) was incorporated and established as a nonprofit hospice provider.
Gene remained an active member of the board in various capacities from 1978 through 1985 when she took a hiatus from board duties. In 1990, she returned to serve on the board and did so until 2015. Gene was a long time member of the Anglican Church of the Redeemer where she taught bible study and served on several vestries.
In recent years she attended the Anglican Church of Our Savior in Jacksonville Beach. She was a Daughter of the Holy Cross and she loved the Lord and tried to serve as He directed. Gene is survived by her family who loved and respected her, including her four sons, Charles William Lewis, III (wife Sandra Lewis), Allan McDonald Lewis (wife Lissa Dearing), Lloyd Arthur Lewis (wife George Lewis) and Dr. Richard Harlow Lewis (wife Deanna Lewis, deceased), half-sister Judy Pentecost, 11 grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren.
A Celebration of Life will be held in Johnson Hall, Fleet Landing, on June 22, 2018 from 2 until 4pm. Gene’s Memorial Service will be held at the Church of the Redeemer, 4815-200 Executive Park Court, Suite 210, Jacksonville, Florida. Service will be at 10:30am until 12:00 on Saturday, June 23 with a reception from 12 until 2pm.
In lieu of flowers, please give memorials to Community Hospice & Palliative Care. Donations may be made to: Community Hospice and Palliative Care 4266 Sunbeam Rd.
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