Camellia A. Lewis

Stockton, CA

Camellia A. Lewis (Gaines)

June 20, 1947 - Dec. 13, 2008

Camellia A. Lewis (Gaines) passed away after a long illness in a Modesto hospital. She was born to Warren and Betty Gaines in Stockton, CA.

She graduated from Franklin Sr. High School and attended California State University in Sacramento at the age of 16. She was employed as a Clerk at Sharpes Army Depot and later married and lived in Los Angeles where she was employed with the County of Los Angeles. She married Donald Lewis and had to this union one child, Felicia Donnine Lewis who preceded them in death at the age of 9. Camellia will be remembered for her brilliant mind, humor and being a mentor and teacher to family and friends. Her aspirations of being a script writer for television was fulfilled in her niece, Stacee Comage-Watts, who is a script writer for Disney and her great niece, Courtney Camille-Watts (her namesake) who does commercials and print ads in Los Angeles. Camellia was a classical pianist, mathematician and excellent seamstress.

Camellia was preceded in death by her mother, Betty J. Gaines, her brother, Warren C. Gaines, her brother Gilbert I. Gaines, and her daughter Felicia Donnine Lewis. She is survived by her father Warren G. Gaines, and stepmother Isabella A. Gaines. Her Sisters, Wanda Gaines, Tanaka Begnazarov-Gaines, Tasha Gaines. Brothers, Ali, Amin, and Terry Gaines. Nieces, Chantel Rose, Stacee Comage-Watts, and nephews Seon Tillis, Warren Deandre, Gabriel, Timothy, Jamal, and Gilbert Gaines II. Many great nieces and nephews, and one great-great nephew.

We would like to thank all the friends who supported her during her long illness. Adrian Sandoval was a faithful friend, and her college classmate Zenolia Anderson. There will be no service at her request and internment is private. Cherokee Memorial Funeral Home is in care of arrangements.