Michael Justin Lewis

Michael Justin Lewis was welcomed into God's loving embrace on Friday, August 2, 2013.
Left to celebrate his life well-lived are his beloved wife and love of his life, Mino (Rafee) Lewis; daughters, Beth Minear and husband, Bill, Tana Stanley and husband, JD; grandchildren, Billy and David Minear, Trent and Lindsey Stanley, Janie Beth and Annmarie Uhl; maternal uncle, Nelson Lee Cantley; brother and sisters-in-law of the Rafee family, Mohammed, Azar, Fatema, Fareshedeh, Fereshteh and Fariba; his girls' mother, Deanna Lewis; his loving caregivers Tasha Kimble, Sarah Corbin and Betty Young; supportive friends to the end Mohamed and Giti Shakiba and Thom Stevens. Michael also leaves his loyal Chihuahua, Chiquita.
Michael was born on April 10, 1943, in Point Pleasant, N.J. to the late June (Cantley) and Jacob Seyfried. He was raised in Rock Creek, Raleigh County, W.Va., by his great-aunt Ellen Pettry, who instilled in him a strong faith and a thirst for knowledge. That strong start led him to Bachelor and Master's degrees in chemical engineering from West Virginia Tech (where he was named Alumnus of the Year in 1999); and a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from Virginia Tech in 1968. Not satisfied with his inability to serve his state in the way he wanted, Michael returned to school in 1971, enrolling in WVU Medical School and obtained his Medical Degree in three years. He opened his family practice in St. Marys, WV in 1975 where he served his rural, riverside community for ten years.
Michael then was called back to WVU to become the second Chair of the Department of Family Medicine. He then became Vice Chancellor-Health Sciences for WVU, and later served the state as Vice Chancellor for the Higher Education Policy Commission. Michael served the American Academy of Family Practitioners at a national level, holding committee positions throughout the late 1990s and early 2000s. He served as AAFP President from 1992-1993 and was honored as WV AAFP Family Doctor of the Year in 2002.
Realizing all that he had done for healthcare in West Virginia, North Carolina called upon Michael to help guide health care and educational needs in that state. In 2002, Michael and Mino moved to Greenville, N.C. where Michael took a position at East Carolina University as Vice-Chancellor for Health Sciences. During his tenure, Michael was instrumental in building "The Learning Village," to ECU as well as the Cardiovascular Diseases Institute and the School of Dentistry to eastern North Carolina, which, as in West Virginia, is a rural, underserved part of North Carolina.
Called again to serve his home state by long time friend Governor Tomblin, Michael and Mino returned to West Virginia in January 2011 when he accepted the appointment as Cabinet Secretary for the Department of Health and Human Resources, holding that position until his retirement in June 2012.
Besides his professional accomplishments, Michael the man was smart, loyal, fun and funny. He believed greatly in God the Father and in his Christian upbringing. Michael said that there were things on this Earth that were not explainable by medicine or science and that some things can only be explained in the Spirit, through Faith alone, of which Michael was in awe. His legacy follows a series of "P"s. Nicknames for his "women": Mino, his wife "Pretty One", daughters "Princess and Potly", and his off hours past times of Pink Panther movies, Pistol matches (where he shot A-Class Gold Cup .45) and munching Pistachios. Michael's favorite songs were "Angels Flying Too Close to the Ground" and "Runaround Sue"; his favorite artist was Roy Orbison. His treasured weekends were spent with family, enjoying either John Wayne or Clint Eastwood movie marathons.
Funeral service will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, August 10, 2013 at Barlow Bonsall Funeral Home, 1118 Virginia Street, East, Charleston, W.Va., with Pastor Mike Minear officiating. Burial will follow in Mt. View Cemetery, Charleston.
Those who wish to honor his memory may make a donation in his name to: West Virginia Health Right, the WV free clinic, where he volunteered his time in seeing patients, 1520 Washington Street, East, Charleston.
The family would also like to express appreciation to Hubbard Hospice House – the last resting place of his earthly body.
You may send your condolences to the family at: www.barlowbonsall.com.
Barlow Bonsall Funeral Home has been entrusted to handle the arrangements.