TOPSHAM — William W. Lewis, 98, died on January 6, 2013. He had lived in Topsham with his daughter, Grace, and son-in-law John (Lewis- McLaren) for the past eleven years. During those years he was known in the Emily Street neighborhood for his productive front-yard vegetable gardens.

William’s long life began in Sidney, Maine in September of 1914. The youngest of five children, and the fifth generation to be born in Maine, he grew up near the eastern shore of Lake Messalonskee. He went to the University of Maine, Orono, graduating in 1937 with a degree in mechanical engineering. William found employment with Standard Oil of New Jersey (later Exxon). He stayed with Exxon until his retirement in 1977.

In 1938 William married Frances Komar, a violinist from New Jersey who had spent one summer as a scholarship student at Eastern Music Camp in Sidney, Maine. While Frances and William had not met during that summer, their common love of music as well as the Lake Messalonskee area grounded their 59-year long relationship. Because William’s job was in New Jersey, they built a home in Westfield where they raised a family of five children. Every summer was focused on taking the family “up home” to Sidney, Lake Messalonskee, and the Music Camp, now known as New England Music Camp.

William and Frances were long-time members of the First Methodist Church of Westfield. Their first visit to Europe was along with that church’s choir. After retirement, they spent more time traveling, either with groups or on their own in their accommodating Dodge “Explorer” camper van. In that vehicle they visited every state in the contiguous 48, collecting adventures, photos and stories to share with their expanding family. Eventually they found a winter home in Boynton Beach, Florida. Summers were spent on the shores of Messalonskee as long as they were able to travel independently.

When Frances became ill, William devoted his full attention to her care at their Florida home. She died in 1997. In her memory, William established the Frances Komar Lewis Scholarship at New England Music Camp, an ongoing fund to provide young string players with a life-changing summer of music.

William remained in Florida, but longed to return to Maine. His eyesight was failing. Driving was no longer an option. At the end of 2001, along with Grace & John, he moved into a home on Emily Street in Topsham. He enjoyed attending summer concerts at New England Music Camp, concerts at Bowdoin & Bates Colleges, Mid- Coast Symphony Concerts, and taking side trips to his favorite coastal spots: Pemaquid, Two Lights, Round Pond, and Popham. He never missed an opportunity to enjoy a meal of steamers, corn & lobster, packing his own cracking tools, since he preferred the hard-shells.

The family William leaves behind include Grace, Alice, Willy, Margaret and Charles; their partners John, Ron, Randee and Barbara; grandchildren Mary, Laura, Christopher, Will and Jason; their partners Paul, Chuck, Laurel and Volney; great-grandchildren: Sean, Anya, Colin, Wesley, Brittany, Savannah, Holly, Charlie and Lucy.

A gathering to remember and celebrate William’s life will be held on the shores of Lake Messalonskee during the summer. Memorial gifts may be made to New England Music Camp: nemusiccamp.com. Condolences can be expressed at www.brackettfuneralhome.com.