Earl T. Lewis, MD

Earl Thurman Lewis, M.D.   

Earl T. Lewis, M.D. 93, passed away on Monday February 22, 2021 at his home with his beloved wife, Elle by his side.  Formerly a resident of West Chester, and Boca Grande, FL, he was born April 19, 1927, in Hattiesburg, MS, to Henry Thurman and Lulu Mae Hargrove Lewis.  He attended Greenwood High School, Greenwood, MS, graduated from Tulsa Central High School in Tulsa, OK, and attended Tulsa University prior to entering the U.S. Army Air Corps.  There he was assigned to the Staff Surgeon’s Office Headquarters, 20th Air Force, Guam, M.I.

Following discharge from the Army Air Corps he graduated cum laude from Millsaps College, Jackson, MS in 1950, where he met and married his first love of 38 years, Mary Sue Enochs Lewis.  He then entered Jefferson Medical College of Philadelphia class of 1954. After an Internship at Baptist Memorial Hospital in Memphis, TN, he opened a private practice in Magee, MS, followed by a residency in Internal Medicine at the University of Mississippi.  In 1960, he accepted a position in Clinical Research at Mead Johnson Laboratories in Evansville, IN as the medical monitor for the clinical studies required to have a new monolithic agent, Mucomyst, approved for marketing.  In 1965, he joined Wyeth Laboratories as Senior Director of Medical Affairs, until his retirement in 1992.

As a member of the Wayne Methodist Church for over 25 years he served at various positions, as Lay Leader, Church School Superintendent, Deacon, and member of various committees.  In 1991 he joined the First Presbyterian Church of West Chester, where he served as Deacon. He was also an associate member of the Lighthouse Methodist Church in  Boca Grande, FL where his family enjoyed a second  home for many years. 

He was predeceased by his first wife, Mary Sue Enochs Lewis and by his son-in-law, Larry R. Hiestand, step sons-in-law, John Arvid Clark and Donald B. Brooks, and step grandson, Parker Davis Jackson.

Earl is survived by his second beloved wife, Eleanor (Elle) Stephens Ginter Lewis., with whom he shared 29+ years of marriage.   Also, by their blended family of daughters, Kathy Hiestand, Rebecca Nunez (Eduardo), Melissa Glassmire, (Charles), Lauren Jackson (Bo), Lynn May, Leigh Clark Brooks, and Lizabeth Conners.  In addition to his daughters, and sons –in-law, he is survived by seven grandchildren, their spouses and nine great grandchildren, and from his second adoring family, seven more grandchildren. 

A lifelong golfer, Earl was a member of St. David’s Golf Club, in Wayne, PA.  for over 36 years and Hershey’s Mill Golf Club.  He was a member of the Boca Grande Fishing Pier Club, the Boca Grande Medical Society, American Medical Association, Southern Medical Society, Chester County Medical Association, and the Drug Information Society.

Earl will be remembered as a true Southern Gentleman, a Devout man of integrity and character, loyal, kind and soft spoken.  He believed that people are to be loved, not judged. 

Due to COVID restrictions, a private memorial service will be held at the First Presbyterian Church of West Chester, on Monday March 15, 2021. Livestreaming of his memorial service will begin at 1pm and is available by visiting https://boxcast.tv/view/earl-lewis-memorial-service-419876 also in the future.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations would be greatly appreciated to First Presbyterian Church of West Chester, 130 West Miner Street, West Chester, PA 19380, and/or Church of the Loving Shepherd, 1066 S. New Street, West Chester, PA and/or Unionville Presbyterian Church 812 Wollaston Rd. Kennett Square PA 19348.

Arrangements by DellaVecchia, Reilly, Smith & Boyd Funeral Home, Inc. 610-696-1181