William LEWIS

Warm memories of our friendship at Wesleyan and afterward, when we reconnected decades later, endure and still make me glad. Bill was always warm and friendly and real.

Bill was my best friend at Wes. He was brilliant, funny, deep, and soulful, and he had a wonderfully resonant bass-baritone voice. We lost touch for decades but reconnected about ten years or so before his passing. The reminiscences and excellent dinners we shared at area eateries were more than food--they nourished our friendship. I will never forget Bill Lewis.

Six years from Bill's passing, and his masterful singing, terrific, deep laugh, subtle wit, and brilliant curiosity are still fresh in my mind. He was my best friend at Wesleyan and my best friend from those years in recent decades. My circle of friends grew as I got to know people in his life in recent years and at our ceremony to dedicate his gravestone at Indian Hill a few years ago. I am--we are--blessed to have known him and to have him still in our memories.

Bill was a year behind me at Wesleyan. He was a terrific guy to whom everyone I knew at Wesleyan in the '60s took an instant liking. He radiated enthusiasm, hope, and friendly gentleness, whether singing with the Cardinals (a travelling double quartet) or the College Choir (Dick Winslow, now 96, recently said Bill was the best bass he ever had); debating a point of literature or philosophy; or arguing politics or justice. And despite his trouble in recent decades and the half-continent that...

Bill was one of the first people I met when I first arrived at Wesleyan. A bunch of new freshmen were rather stiltedly getting acquainted in one of the Foss Hill lounges when in blew Bill like a fresh wind off the street and pretty much commanded the room regaling us with the tale of his adventures in arriving there. He was funny, generous, engaging and dynamic. Those years at Wes were not easy for a lot of us and Bill had more than his share of troubles and doubts, being a pioneer, one of...

You will always live in my heart and memories. Thank you for 6 years of friendship!

Dear Family and Friends of Bill Lewis--

I knew Bill well at Wesleyan. We hung out a lot together on campus and at the Beta House. Bill was always a totally composed, gracious dude. I send condolences and peace from the Class of 1969.