John Lewis

John Shannon Lewis of Honor, MI passed away on April 8th, 2023. Born in Lakeland, Florida on January 19, 1932, John valued his family, hard work and responsibility; he was a proud veteran of the U.S. Army and a cherished husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather. After an early childhood in Florida, John's family moved back to Michigan where he was a paper delivery boy, soda jerk, worked at his dad's country store and installed lightning rods on barn roofs. As a student at Owosso High School, John met a kind girl named Carolyn and they shared their lives together for the next 70 years. John was a football player and senior class president, earning a football scholarship to MSU where he was a member of ROTC. After graduating from MSU with a degree in economics John enlisted in the Army where he would soon train as a pilot, flying L-19s, Otters, and Huey helicopters. John married his high school sweetheart, Carolyn (Judd) Lewis, on August 9th, 1952. In the early years of their marriage John was stationed at bases in Alabama, Texas, Georgia, Kentucky, and North Carolina. John and Carolyn made their happy home together wherever they were, welcoming baby Debbie in Texas and baby Karen in Georgia. With his wife and small daughters at home, John served in the Korean Conflict, monitoring the DMZ and flying broken planes across dangerous waters to be repaired in Japan. John proudly served in the Army Reserves for the next 20 years, retiring with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. He was very proud to have been selected to be a member of the Mid Michigan Honor Flight to Washington D.C. in October of 2022. John joined Eastman Kodak in Rochester, NY in the early 1960s, and continued his career with Kodak over the next two decades. In Rochester, John and Carolyn welcomed their "bonus baby" Brenda. As a civilian John continued flying small planes, shuttling his family over the lakes from upstate New York to visit grandparents on the Judd family farm in Michigan. John's rewarding career at Kodak took him from Rochester, NY to Bloomfield Hills, MI and Naperville, IL, and John and Carolyn started spending time at "the cottage" on Platte Lake in Honor, MI. Eventually the cottage became their year-round home, and they treasured the 40 years spent there together with friends, family, and neighbors. John took advantage of every season on Platte Lake; he loved ice boating and taking the 16 ft. Hobie Cat out for a sail, often hiked to the limit. As more grandkids joined the fun, he was the trusted pilot of calmer pontoon boat rides. In retirement, John was proud to be involved with the Kiwanis Club of Crystal Lake, especially working with students of Benzie County. John enjoyed watching the sunsets on Platte Lake from his porch and reading the newspaper. Given a bit of old wire John could fix just about anything, and with ears finely tuned from his pilot days he never lost his sharp sense for a malfunctioning motor. A responsible and no-nonsense man, John also had a dry and unexpectedly delightful sense of humor. He valued his good friends and neighbors and was lucky to spend time with many of them even in the last year of his life. The months since losing his beloved wife Carolyn, were the longest the pair had been apart in over 60 years. Now he and Carolyn are eternally reunited. John was preceded in death by his wife, Carolyn (Judd) Lewis; his parents, Donald Stewart Lewis and Dorothy (Launstein) Lewis; and his brother, Richard "Dick" Lewis. John is survived by his three daughters, Brenda (John) Roth of Northville, MI; Karen (Michael) Bora of Chicago, IL; and Debra Lewis (Kevin Nagy) of Traverse City; his grandchildren, Derek and Brian Roth, Shannon (Gregory) Bora-Cooper and Lewis Bora, and Elise and Juliet Nagy; and his great-grandchildren, Bodhi and Lily Carolyn Bora-Cooper. He is also survived by his half-sister Susan (Lewis Gilbert) Wortman, stepsister Shirley (Tillis Kelly) Harroun, sister-in-law Alice (Price) Lewis, and brother-in-law Jim Boehm.Please join us for a celebration of John's life on Saturday, August 12, 2023 at St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church, Beulah. Visitation at 2pm and service at 3pm, with Rev. John E. Harnish officiating. A light luncheon is planned after the service. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Platte Lake Improvement Association Endowment Fund, Mid Michigan Honor Flight, or the Veterans organization of your choice. John and Carolyn's ashes will be laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery. John and his family are being cared for by Jowett Family Funeral Home in Benzonia.