Ray Lewis

I met Ray Lewis the first time I wakled onto the football field in 1957 alongside the old Gym, being just discharged from the Air Force and in pretty good shape I told him I wanted to play football -- He grabed me and threw me to the grass and said " How Tough Are You??" we wresseled around a bit and I got on his back and rode him for about 3 seconds and then jumped up and ran away from him laughing. I played ball for the BSU football team in 1957 as a defensive end and played in the Kern...

Dear Lewis Family,
I ran for Coach Lewis at BJC and have known him for most of my life, because my father was President for many years. I intended to attend his memorial service, but I spaced it until later that day.

I particularly remember when we had a track meet in Ontario and I had run the mile race with the fastest time I ever ran and came in second. He came up to me and asked me if I would run the two-mile. I was spent, but he said that if I could place in the race...

Please visit Ray's Memorial Facebook page, the link is http://www.facebook.com/share.php?appid=2530096808&src=box&tid=155017338040&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fgroup.php%3Fgid%3D155017338040%26ref%3Dnf#/group.php?gid=155017338040

Ray was "my" coach in football and track. He was the toughest man I ever knew. But he shared a special moment in my life that only he knew about. It was 1966 and I had just cost the Broncos a national championship. I was the last to leave the lockerroom. Still in my uniform I was crying when I felt a very strong presence. Coach sat down beside me, hugged me and said, "John, it's just a game. It will be all right." That gave me the strength to carry on and I became a coach for 38 years thanks...

Coach........thank you, I have been blessed to have known a great Hero like you! I enjoyed all the football practices, wrestling practices and most of all the challenging and brutal handball games with you. Thanks for being who you are and the great love for us islanders. We will meet again to enjoy that delicious banana milk shake at the old College In & Out.
Boise Junior College 1965

Aloha Coach Lewis;

How you and Coach Smith touched and improved the lives of all of the players that you mentored especially our boys from Hawaii. Your encouraging words and the fire that you expressed for the love of the game and for each of our team members have always been the guiding light for me in my maturing years. I remember all of the "butt chewing" that you seemed to save just for me (there were many of those)especially on one particular occasion during our Monday game...

Coach,
You positively touched many of the BJC Hawaiian's lives including myself. Your work ethic, never say die attitude, and desire to help every player (person) improve has been a driving force in my life, and has helped me succeed.

I will never forget the countless hours you spent with me after football practice, and with game planning and preparation to help me become a better quarterback.

Thanks for all the memories.

Don Neves
BJC 1962-63

Ray,
You were an inspiration to me from the first time we met, I was just out of the Air Force and thought I was a football player --then I met you. You turned my life towards an education career, it was good working with you all the years while at BJC BC and BSC