GRAY – Olive H. Lewis, 94, of Gray, passed way peacefully at Sedgewood Commons in Falmouth on Jan. 20, 2023.

She was born in Gray on July 20, 1929, the daughter of Arthur and Alice Hitchcock, the youngest of four children. Olive graduated high school from Pennell Institute, class of 1947. She was married to Franklin ” Red” Lewis in 1949, until his passing in 1999.

Together, Olive and “Red” raised a family of three children and were active members of the Gray Community. At the age of 14, she started work as a telephone operator in Gray and worked as a clerk for the local judge during high school. When the children were grown she worked at Cook’s Hardware in Gray and picked apples, retired from the Gray Post Office and then worked for Gray Market in their deli department.

She was a longtime active member of the First Congregational Church of Gray, serving on many committees, immensely enjoyed singing in the choir for many years and assisted in the church suppers, community dinners and food events.

Olive and “Red” were also very active, longtime members of the Grange and she spent many years participation in Extension and the Red Hat Society. She also enjoyed putting on the summer church family picnic at their home on the lake for many years.

Olive enjoyed traveling with her husband and they managed to visit all 50 States and 10 Canadian Provinces, bring home rocks and gemstones from each one as well as pictures of post offices. After “Red” passed, Olive enjoyed traveling still with her best friends, “The Three Amigos”.

Olive had endless interests and an active and curious mind and pursued a great many courses of study form genealogy, birds, geology, sewing, knitting, religion to collecting every helpful hint for living a “perfect” life that she could lay her hands on. Contributing to church charities and organizations gave her much joy to be able to share with others.

Olive spent her whole life in purposeful activities, service to others with an abiding faith to her Lord, Church, and Family. She trove to do what was right and fair and did whatever she could to help others without hesitation or “fan fare”. In all she did she used her faith and commitment to honor her “Father in Heaven.”

Besides her parents and siblings, she was predeceased by her husband “Red” in 1999; her grandson, Benjamin in 1985; and her daughter, Alice Lois Lewis in 2020.

She is survived by her son, Wayne F. Lewis and significant other Deborah, and son Bruce E. Lewis and wife Suzanne; as well as five grandchildren; two great-grandsons; a sister-in-law, Jean P. Hitchcock; and several nieces and nephews.

Many thanks to Sedgewood Commons and Compassus Hospice Services for their care of Olive in her last days and blessing on those church, neighbors and community friends that played such a huge blessing in her life.

There will be a graveside service at Gray Cemetery on Saturday June 1, at 10 a.m. followed by a Celebration of Life at the Church Parish Hall on Brown Street, next to McDonalds.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Salvation Army or St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital.

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