Elizabeth Harris Lewis

Elizabeth Harris Lewis, longtime resident of Carbondale, Illinois, died at the age of 94 on September 28, 2004 in Belleville, Illinois.

Liz was born August 3, 1910 to Emmet and Byrd Spiller Harris. She is a graduate of Carbondale Community High School and Southern Illinois University and was the wife of Dr. John S. Lewis, fourth generation Southern Illinois physician, surgeon, and one of the founders and developers of Doctors Memorial Hospital, the Carbondale Clinic, and Southern Illinois Hospital Corporation.

Crowned "Miss Carbondale" in 1928, Liz was both an anglophile and a bibliophile. She indulged the former by taking her children and grandchildren on many trips to England and the latter by a life long love affair with books. Early in her marriage, she made less daunting the stacks of textbooks her medical student husband had to digest by reading them to him over the kitchen table. For years she brought books and magazines to the hospital. Seeing the impact her small efforts had on the patients and the need to expand the care to both patients and visiting families, Liz created the Volunteer Program and opened the Pink Geranium Gift Shop and raised funds for the Chapel at Memorial Hospital. She also served as Vice-President of Southern Illinois Health Care.

Liz was named Secretary to the Southern Illinois University Alumni Association and served in that position for several years. She received the Service to Southern Award and was honored for her achievements on her 90th birthday.

Liz was known for her passion for travel and collecting. She celebrated her birthday each year by taking her daughters on trips to France, Portugal, England and Mexico.

She developed her own photographs, perfected the art of cathedral window quilting, and collected European and early American ephemera. She loved to trade and sold her postcards in flea markets from Palm Beach to Paris.

Her love for history and her command of the English language was legendary. She carried her interests well into her 80's when she attended the University of London to study British Literature. She often quoted Shakespeare and Shelley and shuttered when someone butchered the "King's English." Yet she never put on airs, remaining the Southern Illinois girl she always was.

Liz spent much of the last 30 years of her life in Melbourne, Florida, where she volunteered on various community boards.

Above all else, Liz's legacy is her joie de vivre. It was evident from her appreciation of trees to her joy at the smile on a young child's face. She simply adored children. Liz would put off things she had to do for the opportunity to share an afternoon with a child.

Elizabeth Harris Lewis was one of a kind, a most remarkable mother and grandmother who will be missed for her wit, her wisdom and her warmth.

Surviving Liz are her six children; Sally Williams of Carbondale, Illinois, Beth Kamm of Belleville, Illinois, Winston Lewis of Montgomery, Vermont, Kate Wharton of Concord, Massachusetts, John Lewis of Carbondale, Illinois, and Mary Kountze of Omaha, Nebraska; her 17 grandchildren, Amy Elliott of Melbourne, Florida, Sara Brown of Carbondale, John Williams of Belleville, Mike Williams of Creve Coeur, Missouri, Steve Kamm of Sarasota, Florida, Kathy Kamm of Nashville, Tennessee, Brian Kamm of Vancouver, Washington, Peggy O'Connell of Brookline, Massachusetts, Brian O'Connell of Williston, Vermont, Tim O'Connell of Melrose, Massachusetts, Amanda Ellingson of Washington, Vermont, Philip and David Wharton of Concord, Massachusetts, Jessica and Shelby Lewis of Miami, Florida and Tower and Elizabeth Kountze of Washington, D.C. Liz is also survived by 17 great grandchildren and one nephew, Tim Swofford of Melbourne, Florida.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to Memorial Hospital in Carbondale.

Published in the Belleville News-Democrat from 9/29/2004 - 9/30/2004.

Source:  Belleville News-Democrat, The (IL) - September 30, 2004

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