Salve Bolus Lewis

Salve Koury Bolus Lewis, a devoted mother, grandmother, and wife, passed away peacefully on December 7, 2025, at the age of 101. Salve was known for her beauty, kindness, generosity, inner strength, and immense sense of humor. Her laughter was contagious and her warmth touched all that knew her. Throughout her life, her main focus was family and her Catholic faith.

Salve was born on April 30, 1924, in Burlington, North Carolina, to the late John and Edna Koury who were immigrants from Lebanon in the early nineteen hundreds. Salve attended Blessed Sacrament Catholic School in Burlington, NC and graduated from Burlington High School. She later attended Immaculata Junior College in Washington D.C.

She met her first husband, the late Dr. Michael Bolus, of Wake Forest, NC, when he was serving as a Captain in the Medical Corp. at Fort Bragg during WWII. He came to her family home in Burlington as a guest of her brothers who were also serving in WWII and he knew immediately that Salve was going to be his future bride. They married in 1944 and later made Raleigh their home where he practiced Dermatology and she enjoyed working part-time in his office while also managing the daily family routines.

Salve is survived by her children, Dr. Michael George Bolus (Julie), Patricia Heavner Kovach (Mike), and Thomas Koury Bolus (Kelly), all of Raleigh. She is also survived by her six grandchildren, Lee Heavner, Michael Heavner (Jennifer), Yvonne Bolus Barrow (Sam), Natalie Bolus Cooke (Charlie), Patrick Heavner (Jessica), and Charles Heavner (Ashley). She was also blessed with 13 great-grandchildren and is a beloved aunt to many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her son, John Maurice Bolus, and infant twins. Also preceding her were her five siblings, Ernest Koury, Dr. George Koury, Pauline Akras, Marshall Koury, and Maurice Koury, and daughter-n-law, Sharon Bolus.

Salve approached life with the same grace as she portrayed on the dance floor. She

loved ballroom dancing and that is where she later met her second husband, the late Edward "Duck" Lewis of Tarboro, NC, after being widowed for many years.

Salve had a passion for her Lebanese heritage and continued the traditions through her love of cooking Mediterranean food. Her skill in cooking Lebanese and Mediterranean foods was not only a testament to her cultural heritage, but also a means of bringing her family together around the table, where laughter and stories were abundantly shared. Salve's thoughtfulness, wisdom, and strength were the hallmarks of her character. She navigated life's challenges with poise and quiet strength that inspired those around her. Her loving presence was a comforting constant in the lives of her family and friends, and her absence will be deeply felt by all who were fortunate enough to know her.

A memorial gathering will be held on Friday December 12, 2025, from 2:00-3:30pm at the Bright Funeral Home in Wake Forest. Following, she will be laid to rest in Wake Forest Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made in her memory to the SPCA of Wake County at www.spcawake.org.