On August 16, 2012, the body of our friend Chuck Lewis gave out, and his spirit left it. He lives on in the friends and family he left behind. Chuck’s obituary headline said, “he made chemistry fun.” Chuck’s primary profession was as an organic chemistry teacher for San Antonio College. He was also a professional musician playing primarily German music and 40s and 50s dance music. He loved to cook, and he loved all things women. I don’t know any other way to put it. Chuck was an incorrigible, and in my opinion, harmless flirt.

We attended his memorial service on Friday put together by his three children and held, fittingly, at the Beethoven Hall in San Antonio. The Texas Folklife Festival loaned them this larger than life poster they have of Chuck, and it was as if he were in the room with us, with his twinkling, mischievous eyes looking us over:

Chuck and my husband had been friends almost as long as I’ve been alive. I met them both in 1985. I saw him at Little Hipp’s, Texas Folklife Festival, the various bands Chuck and hubby played in together, and, in recent years, at Timbo’s.

Chuck collected more things than I probably can remember, but cone top beer cans, beer cans, beer can openers, beer signs, wine, antique phonographs, and Swarovski crystal come to mind. One day a large box arrived at my Alabama address. Completely unexpected. I was a little leery of opening it. I mentioned it to my husband on the phone, and he said it was probably safe to open. Inside, very carefully packaged, was a Swarovski crystal polar bear figurine. Chuck saw it, thought of me, and bought it as a gift. (I think he’d had to get my address from hubby, that’s how he knew it was safe to open). Most of you know, I collect polar bears, so this was very special to me.

Chuck led a full and active life for more than 85 years, brightening people’s lives everywhere he went. He served in the US Navy at the end of WW II. Then he went to school, raised a family, and touched thousands of lives while teaching organic chemistry, playing music, and pursuing his various hobbies. He will be remembered fondly and missed by many.

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