B. Frank Lewis

B. Frank Lewis of Lafayette, Colorado died on September 25 on his 91st birthday. Frank was a force of nature, with a zest for living and a love of people. He was active throughout his life and always ready to try something new, be it parasailing in Mexico, ice boating in Wisconsin, glider soaring in Colorado or the latest scary roller coaster. An avid sportsman, Frank was fond of fishing, sailing, camping, hunting and skiing. He went skydiving on his 80th birthday and continued to downhill ski well into his 80’s. He loved to meet people – with his direct gaze, firm handshake and friendly enthusiasm, he made many acquaintances wherever he went. Born Benjamin Franklin Lewis III in 1924, Frank grew up in Wilmette, Illinois and graduated from New Trier High School. A WWII veteran in the European theatre, Sergeant Lewis was part of a tank recovery unit for the 14th Armored Division of the U.S. Army. Returning from Germany in 1946, Frank graduated from Yale University in 1950 with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. While working at Armour and Company Research Division in Chicago, he met his future wife Janet Dunlevy. Frank and Janet were married in 1955 and settled in Aurora, Illinois, where Frank became the vice-president and general manager of Aurora Metals Company, a custom-castings foundry. Business trips took the couple all over the world, from Europe to Australia to Japan. As a father to their four children, Frank was always ready to help with a school project. Retiring at age 60, Frank and Janet moved to Boulder, Colorado, where they lived for the next 30 years, staying active outdoors and building two houses along the way. In his retirement years, Frank was generous with his time in volunteering for his church and other charitable organizations. Frank is survived by his wife of 60 years, Janet D. Lewis, four children and eight grandchildren. A private burial with military honors will be held at the Fort Logan National Cemetery in Denver, Colorado on October 23, 2015, with a celebration of his life to follow at the Chautauqua Theatre at Balfour Senior Living, 1331 E. Hecla Dr., Louisville, CO 80027 from 3 – 5 p.m. The family requests that donations in Frank’s memory be made to the YMCA of Boulder Valley- Arapahoe Center, Lafayette, Colorado or the Tru Hospice Center, Louisville, Colorado. Frank’s enthusiasm for life, to get as much as possible out of each day, lives on in the hearts of his family and friends.