John Stephen Lewis
January 30, 1957 - January 5, 2024
Obituary from the Kansas City Star January, 2024
John Stephen Lewis, a resident of Spring, Texas, for more than four decades, lived in a variety of locales. But no matter what zip code he called home, he was extremely popular, made friends easily and was devoted to his children and parents.
John was born to John Gilbert Lewis and Rita Burch Lewis on January 30, 1957, in Louisville, Kentucky. The family moved to Walford Manor in Jeffersonville, Indiana, in 1963, and in short order, John became the focal point of the neighborhood. He helped introduce unique local games like Big Ball, Run Across, and Manhunt. When he organized a match, every kid within a three-block radius was there to play. It became clear when John was very young that he was a gifted athlete: He was a star on the Sacred Heart football and basketball teams, leading his squads to CYO middle school state championships in both sports. He soared in Little League.
That athletic prowess continued to shine when the family moved to Overland Park, Kansas, in 1971. By the time he was in high school, varsity coaches were trying desperately to recruit him. He lettered on the varsity football team as a sophomore and was one of the leading scorers on the basketball team. At basketball games, fans would chant "Hook," because of his elegant hook shot. In cross country, he and his team ran all the way to the state finals. When he picked up golf clubs for fun, he won a junior championship the first year that he played.
After a few years in Manchester, Missouri, he landed in Spring, Texas, in 1982. He would go on to embrace the Lone Star State with a passion and spend the rest of his life there, raising his three children and caring for his parents.
John loved to grill, was a deceptively good cook, and was a big fan of the Houston sports teams. He had a wide range of interests in music, ranging from the Carpenters to the Grateful Dead. He also had an exceptional work ethic, culminating with his favorite job: as a dispatcher and broker with Canyon Logistics. There, he earned the trust and love of his co-workers, making sure that clients and their shipments reached their destinations successfully.
Even though he was a shining star in athletics and a hard worker, his best qualities were his charisma and his selflessness. He had a thunderous laugh that filled the room, and everyone who met him liked him. He committed himself to his children and grandson, his parents, and his siblings. He was a devoted son, a loving father and grandfather, and a gallant big brother. He never put himself first, and his love for family will be remembered and cherished.
John, who died after a brief illness, is survived by his mother, Rita, of Spring; three children, Andrew and Matthew, both of Spring, and Rachel of Houston; one grandson, Archie; two siblings, David of Rocklin, California, and Sarah Reed of Parker City, Indiana; and two brothers-in-law, David Wang of Rocklin and Rick Reed of Parker City. John was preceded in death by his father, John, and his sister, Mary Joanna Lewis.
Visitation will be at Klein Funeral Home, 16131 Champion Forest Drive, in Spring, on Wednesday, January 10, from 5-8 p.m. The funeral will also be at Klein on Thursday, January 11, at 10 a.m. Casual dress.