Henry Lewis Childers

HENRY LEWIS CHILDERS, 86, OF PHOENIXVILLE Henry Lewis Childers passed away on June 18, 2013, and lived boldly until he was 86. Lew was born September 23, 1926 in Elba, Alabama, 15 miles outside Enterprise, Alabama (home of the boll weevil monument), to the late James Daniel and Annie Lee (Childs) Childers of Mt. Dora, Florida. During WWII, he joined the Merchant Marines and sailed all over the world supplying the troops with their needs and facing more danger than the military in most instances. Lew was a proud member of Local 401 Philadelphia Structural, Bridge and Ornamental Ironworkers since 1949--building many of the Philadelphia skyscrapers and surrounding area buildings and bridges. In the early 60s, he helped build the King of Prussia Church of Christ and served as a deacon. When the Northeastern Junior Christian College was being built in Villanova, he traveled with the first President of the college, Dr. Elza Huffard, to solicit funds for its start. He enjoyed vegetable gardening and was well-respected for his lawn and flower gardens. His quirky and dry sense of humor, along with his selflessness and giving heart, could diffuse any situation and throw questions into any conversation. Although not given an extensive formal education, Lew was quite schooled in life; its joys and challenges. Family and friends were gifted with his shared knowledge to move them through their own lives more successfully. His girls and extended family will greatly miss his counsel and guidance. Surviving are his wife of 61 years, Barbara Ann (Springman) Childers and his four daughters, Cathleen Lois Henderson of Ocean City, New Jersey; Teresa Anne Paolini of Pennsauken, New Jersey; Nancy Sue Liss (David) of Exeter; and Laurie Jean Milliron (Charles) of Rocky Mount, Virginia and Cary, North Carolina. Missing their Pop-pop are Stacy Gordon and Nicole (Christian) Vitale, Katie Henderson, Samantha, Jessica and Paul "Babe" Paolini, Steven "Danny" and Lewis Natale, Stephanie Haring, Meghan Childers, and Lawrence and Anthony Raimondi along with his great-grandchildren, Alexandra, Anthony, Dominic, Kaia, Joseph, Kateri, Grace, and Santino Lew is predeceased by his younger brother, James Beuford Childers, who passed in 1994. His daughters, Linda Lee Sperry and Luanne Marie Raimondi predeceased him in 2005 and 2011, respectively, along with his great-granddaughter, Adrianna. The family deeply thanks the staff of Golden Living Center in Phoenixville and AseraCare Hospice of Exton for their dedicated and focused assistance. Services will be held at Campbell-Ennis-Klotzbach Funeral Home, Main Street at FIfth Avenue, Phoenixville, on Friday, June 22, 2013. The viewing will be from 10 to11 A.M., followed by a short service at 11 A.M., and immediately followed by his burial at Washington Memorial Chapel Cemetery located in Valley Forge National Historical Park at noon. Condolences may be offered online by visiting www.PhoenixvilleFuneralHome.com.