
David Carl Lewis
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David Carl Lewis, 72, died October 23, 2020. His early life was marked by the loss of his father, Bolivar F Lewis. Doris Craig Lewis moved to Vero Beach, FL, to better provide for her boys but continued to surround them with the love and support of extended family. Growing up in Vero, David was an active kid in many sports and academic clubs, but his true love was being in the ocean. David spent many idyllic hours roaming the beaches, swimming, and diving the reef. His ambition was a life on the seas.
A devastating injury his senior year sent him in a different direction. David followed his father, uncles, and brother to MS State University. There he earned a BS degree in Chemical Engineering and a MS degree in Civil Engineering, Environmental Studies. He accomplished this while battling the numerous health problems he continued to experience. He also met Nancy, who became his life partner for 48 years.
David redirected his desire to be on the seas to the tasks of helping provide and conserve clean fresh water for the rest of us. He worked with the then MS Bureau of Pollution Control and EPA to review plans and help to secure funding for building water and wastewater treatment facilities in municipalities throughout MS. He later moved on to Michael Baker Engineering for the opportunity to be a part of creating the plans for facilities that would be effective and efficient into the future.
Through this time David and Nancy traveled, explored, and learned. David's interests and curiosity were extensive. If he read about it, there would be a trip to see. It was important to him to experience and appreciate the life and culture around him wherever he found himself. Soon David and Nancy welcomed their children, Dave and then Sara, into their lives and adventures. This is when they both learned what true love really means. The kids became well traveled, exploring and learning about the world with their Dad.
To expand his and their horizons, David accepted the opportunity to work with CH2M Hill Engineering in the newly opened office in Dallas in 1985- but only after he made a trip to New Zealand to see what he had read so much about. David worked hard to develop relationships throughout Texas and to provide the vision and resulting facility plans for local water needs into the future. More than a few of his projects are still in service today.
CH2M Hill provided David opportunities to work on water projects around the world. He never said no. The highlight of these was Project Manukau in Auckland, NZ. This was one of the largest environmental restoration and wastewater treatment plant construction projects in the Southern Hemisphere, serving the needs of a million people. David's vision, guidance, and ability to appreciate and integrate cultural mores' were instrumental to the plan. As importantly, it allowed David-and his family- an adventure of a lifetime. David became the coordinator for CH2M Hill Texas Technology and Business Development when he returned from NZ but was sought out for many special projects around the world that benefited from his deep experience and expertise. One of these resulted in the opportunity to work a year in New Delhi, India, another adventure of a lifetime. Of course, he did not say no.
During that year, David's health issues intensified. When he returned to Texas he faced several life threatening crisis events. Making it through those, David realized, to his deep disappointment, he would not be able to continue the work he so enjoyed. With the help of his family David continued his travels in a limited way-doing all he could when he could. He began to play bridge again. David was delighted beyond measure when Sara and Jay presented him with two beautiful granddaughters; Temple and then Vesper, to brighten his life in what became his last years.
David was grateful for and made the most of the time and opportunities he was given in life. He played well the hand he was dealt, with a kind and generous spirit. David's advice to his children-and others- was always, "Take the trip, do the thing, don't say no." Wherever you are, as we are unable to gather, raise a glass of your favorite NZ white to celebrate a life well lived. We will always miss him.
If you would like to do more to honor his life, please consider The Arthritis Foundation or MS State University.
