John Lewis & Family

Series endowment benefactors
 

John was born in Danville, Arkansas in 1926, the youngest of 4, just before the great depression. His family had a general store and lost the store and much of the real estate. When he was about 4 years old his father suffered a massive stroke that left him mostly paralyzed and immobile. His mother was a very strong and resilient woman who rose to the circumstances to provide for her 4 kids. John grew up in this small town, in which everybody knew everybody else and were related in some way to most. He enlisted in the navy in 1942 as soon as he was old enough to do so. He had visions of seeing the world, but was stationed in Nevada for the duration of the war. He returned to Arkansas and thanks to the GI bill, attended Pharmacy School at the College of the Ozarks in Clarksville. It was here he met the love of his life, Jo, and they were married as soon as they graduated in 1950. He worked various places as a pharmacist until the Korean Conflict again called him for service. After this was resolved, he again came back to Arkansas and worked in Fort Smith for several years and they had 2 kids. When his health demanded he find other employment, he looked for a drug store in the state to purchase. He found the Applegate Drug in Rogers was for sale and bought it and it became Lewis Drug. The family joined what was then Central United Methodist Church and he served many capacities. He was Chairman of the Administrative Board, Chair of the Board of Trustees, and served wherever he was needed. He was a caring, generous man and would on many holidays leave the family dinner to go meet someone at the store to fill a prescription. He was called in the night, on days off, and he always went, no matter. If there was a sick baby or child, and their parents could not afford medicine, he never let a child go without whatever it may need. He died suddenly and unexpectedly in 1990 and is greatly missed by his family.