Doris B. Lewis

1937 - 2022

Doris B. Lewis, 84, passed away on February 8, 2022, with her family at her side following a 16-month battle with pancreatic cancer at her home in Drury, Massachusetts. Doris was born in North Adams, Massachusetts on October 5, 1937, to Harold E. Brown and Sarah Belle (Gifford) Brown, both of Florida, Massachusetts. She was a loving mother to her children and was always willing to put them first. Her selfless spirit allowed her to maintain lifelong friendships with people from many parts of the country. She faced her disease with grace, courage, and dignity.

Doris graduated from Drury High School in 1955 where she made Nu-Sigma and Pro Merito. She then attended the University of Massachusetts where she was a mathematics major. In 1988, she received her bachelor's degree in science with a major in business management from North Adams State College.

In 1957, Doris went to California for the summer and ended up getting a job at North American Aviation where she math checked the NAS9-150 before the Apollo program. She met her husband David G. Lewis (1993) while in California and they married in 1958. While in California she lived in Long Beach, Bellflower, and Artesia. Doris enjoyed learning Russian cooking from David's grandmother who had migrated from Russia to Shanghai, China where David was born and lived until age 12 when he moved to Long Beach. Doris and David had three sons and two daughters while in California and in 1972, after a brief visit with Doris's parents in Massachusetts, they decided to move their family back to the home where Doris was born and raised.

Doris had a very strong work ethic and even when she fell ill, people would marvel at her ability to keep working, whether it be to bake first thing in the morning or garden in her new greenhouse. Her occupations included senior statistician, assessor, auditor, tax collector, and town administrator for the Town of Florida. Her lifelong passion for cooking reached its pinnacle when she became restaurant manager/cook at the Whitcomb Summit. Doris was also the original treasurer of the Friends of the Council on Aging and was instrumental in obtaining grant funding for the Florida Senior Center.

Doris's hobbies included cooking, gardening, rug hooking, quilting, crocheting, knitting, and watching the Red Sox, as well as fishing and skiing in her earlier years.

Doris was an active and beloved member of the Charlemont Federated Church until her passing.

Doris was preceded in death by her father and mother, husband David, son Lawrence A. Lewis (2012), and siblings Harold G. Brown (2012) and Lorraine I. Moreau (2018).

Doris's family include siblings Stanley L. Brown (Marilyn), Elizabeth A. Long, Edward J. Brown, and Dwight F. Brown (Renate). Her children include Gregory G. Lewis, Daniel J. Lewis (Mabel), Lawrence A. Lewis (Joan), Tamara E. White, Sarah L. Bohl (Charlie), and son-in-law James White. Grandchildren are Christopher Clark, Heather Collins, Shelby Farrington, Emma Williams, Annie Folk, Mike Shea, Jody White, Cassidy Lewis, Chase Lewis, SJ Larkspur, Chance Lewis, Charlotte White, Leah Bohl, Charles Bohl III, and Natasha Bohl. Great-grandchildren include Kennedy, Lucy, and Calvin.

Doris's generosity continues as she has donated her body to the Anatomical Gift Program at the Albany Medical College.

In lieu of flowers donations may be made to: Friends of the Council on Aging, 367 Mohawk Trail, Drury, MA 01343 or Charlemont Federated Church, P.O. Box 248, Charlemont, MA 01139.

A Celebration of Life service will be held April 30, 2022 at the Charlemont Federated Church, 175 Main Street, Charlemont, MA 01339 at 2pm.