Frank Lewis Obituary
Originally Published by Legacy Remembers on Sep. 16, 2025.

Frank Wellington Lewis III, of Savannah, Texas was born August 29, 1941, to Frank Lewis, Jr., and Martha Watson Lewis in Buffalo, New York. He passed away Sept. 11, 2025, from complications of long-term dementia, surrounded by his family.

Frank spent his early years in Amherst, NY, attending Amherst High School where he, at 6’5″, was active in athletics as well as orchestra, in which he played the bassoon. He was a Boy Scout who proudly earned the ranks of Eagle Scout and Silver Aviation Explorer. He attended Michigan State University where he was an officer in the People’s Church College program and a member of Delta Chi fraternity and Les Gourmet. While there, he met Judy Pugh, whom he followed to UT Austin in 1964 after graduation from MSU.

They married in 1965, and Frank taught history and coached basketball for two years in Holland, NY. He then began a career in professional Scouting with the Boy Scouts of America in 1967 that lead to 34 years as a BSA executive or director in five councils, primarily in the area of Exploring, in New York, New Jersey, Missouri, and Texas, where he was National Director of Aviation Exploring with the National BSA Council in Irving, Texas. After retirement, he continued volunteering for 15 years with the BSA National Events “Black Shirts” team, during which time he was program director for the 2005 National BSA Jamboree. He and Judy volunteered at the Fox Theater in St. Louis for 14 years and multiple other events in the city.

Frank was a man of many hobbies. He was a private pilot, amateur blacksmith, avid genealogist, traveler, and actor and backstage tech crew member in community theaters across the country. He enjoyed all kinds of music and played the guitar and banjo. One of Frank’s greatest joys was to light up his house and yard at Christmas-hoping that it could be seen in outer space!

Frank and Judy have three children. He is survived by a brother, William (Chris) Lewis, wife Judy, daughters Wendy (Jay) Young and Stephanie (Mike Van Winkle) Lewis, and son Frank Lewis IV, as well as grandchildren: Evie, Charlotte, and Sam Young and honorary grandson, Bradley Sykes. He will be missed by many in-laws, nieces, nephews, cousins, and countless other friends and relatives. He was preceded in death by his parents, his brother, Robert Lewis, sister, Judy Speer, and step-sister, Sandy Dolan.

A private family memorial service will be held, and in lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Boy Scouts or a local community theater of your choice. The family invites you to celebrate Frank’s memory in your own way. He was always willing to help others and is remembered as a good and sweet man who adored his family (and the Buffalo Bills!) We shall greatly miss our “gentle giant”.

Original: https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/legacyremembers/frank-lewis-obituary?id=59467815