Glenn Nicholas Lewis

Glenn Lewis

LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. -- Glenn Nicholas Lewis, 63, of Lawrenceville died Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2009, at the VA Medical Center in Atlanta.

He was born Nov. 4, 1945, to Harry L. and Bertha Fennema in Sikeston, Mo., where his father was part owner of Lewis Furniture Co.

The family returned to their hometown, East Prairie, Mo., in 1947, and Glenn's public school education was spent there, where he graduated from East Prairie High School, class of 1963. Glenn was an outstanding athlete, lettering in football, basketball and track.

In 1967 Glenn began a tour of duty with the U.S. Army. He attended Officer Training School at Fort Benning, Ga., where he graduated as a second lieutenant. During further training at Fort Sill in Oklahoma, in preparation for departure to Vietnam, Glenn was involved in a motorcycle accident, and his injuries were such that his departure for Vietnam was canceled.

After being discharged from the Army, he returned to Southeast Missouri State College where he continued his education for a business degree. Glenn graduated from Southeast Missouri State College in Cape Girardeau with a BS degree in business, where was also a member of Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity.

Glenn soon began employment with Thorngate Ltd. in Cape Girardeau and later took a position with Kuppenheimer Clothing in Loganville, Ga. In 1995 Glenn opened Ye' Old Pawn Shoppe and Antiques on the square in Lawrenceville, Ga., where he remained in business until February 2008.

Survivors include two sons, Glenn Nicholas Lewis (Tina) of Eureka, Mo., and Kevin Mark Lewis of Broken Arrow, Okla.; three sisters, Lenora Fay Tawney of Fishers, Ind., Donna Jean McGee of Hopkinsville, Ky., and Betty Ann Stanley of Salem, Ind.; grandchildren, Trevor Grant Lewis, Jason Beck Lewis, Kaitlyn Elizabeth Lewis and Madison Paige Lewis. Samson, Glenn's precious border collie, survives.

Glenn never knew a stranger, made friends everywhere and was a great storyteller. As the last Lewis patriarch of his generation in the Harry and Bertha Lewis family, his death is a great loss to his children, grandchildren, sisters, nieces, nephews and cousins. He will always be remembered for his wit, humor and uniqueness. He was greatly loved by his family and will be missed immensely.

Funeral services were held Tuesday, Feb. 3, at Shelby Funeral Home in East Prairie with burial at Dogwood Cemetery near East Prairie.