Sadly, I report the passing of Gene Lewis on March 25 of this year. Gene was 97 at the time of his death.
Gene was the force behind the growth of ATRA during his term as the association’s executive vice president in the 1980s. I worked closely with Gene in creating and producing the TransExpo show which debuted in 1984.
In 1981, electronic controls and sealed converters presented challenges to builders. A series of meetings resulted in the creation of Transmission Digest, and a couple of years later in the expansion of ATRA’s annual members meeting into the TransExpo trade show. Gene, his wife Garnet, association president John Maloney, technical director Bob Cherrnay and those of us at MD Publications believed that the industry would be well-served by offering technical information via a magazine and a trade show.
Gene’s family was large and included: wife Garnet Roberts Lewis (deceasd), wife Patricia Weaver Lewis, son Michael Gene Lewis (deceased) daughter Marilee A. DeBaun (Richard, deceased), Santa Maria, Deborah S. Lewis (Roger), Santa Maria, Patricia L. Lewis Ouellet (David) Nipomo, Sister Beverly, sister-in-law Sandy. Grandchildren: Vicki Lewis (deceased) Stephen DeBaun, Jonathan DeBaun, Amber (Shawn) Dones, Andrea (Jason) Harrison, Matthew (Adriana) Rogers, Daniel (Rachel) Williams, Christopher Williams, Desirae (Jordan) Jarvais, David Ouellet Jr., Andrew-Derek Lewis Ouellet, Also including sixteen great grandchildren, and two great-great grandchildren and multiple nieces and nephews.
The family will set a late August date for a memorial service in Nipomo, CA.
