Gary R. Lewis

Gary R. Lewis, 83, of Bedford, NH passed away peacefully on Friday, March 2, 2018 at Catholic Medical Center, Manchester, surrounded by his loving family following a sudden pancreatitis attack.

Born in 1934 in Fort Plain, NY, he was the son of the late Genevieve R. LaBeef-Lewis. Raised in Manchester, he attended Hallsville Elementary and was a graduate of Central High School, class of 1953.

Gary proudly served his country as a member of the Air National Guard of NH, and the United States Air Force during the Korean War.

Following his military career, Gary worked as a service technician for Addressograph-Multigraph and as a salesman at Llewelyn's Office Supply Store and Pitney Bowes. In 1978, Gary started his own business, Advanced Mailing Systems. He operated the business until his retirement in 1999.

Gary's passion was tennis. He was well-known as one of the area's better players with the ability to play singles, doubles, and mixed doubles equally well and with a deep understanding of the game. He won many city and statewide tournaments. Gary earned #1 State ranking in doubles with his partner, Dr. Sam Dugan, and they were finalists for the same title 3 additional times. Gary was a founding member of the Algonquin Tennis Center in Hooksett, NH. He conducted youth tennis clinics and coached the Manchester West High School boys tennis team for 3 years. He played on courts around the City until one day having a court of his own on which many of the area's epic players could be found.

In later years Gary also developed a love for playing pickle ball. He and his wife enjoyed travelling the world and had been on 39 cruises. In earlier years he enjoyed white water canoeing and tubing and going polka dancing with his wife. He looked forward to camping trips and trips to the U.S. Open with his friends, and always enjoyed a good card game with wife and friends. He was a fan of Neil Diamond, Glenn Yarbrough , Elvis Presley spirituals, orchestral instrumentals from Ferrante & Teicher and others, the New England Patriots, the Celtics, and boxing. He loved whoopie pies, having nachos with friends, and eating his wife's homemade hot spaghetti sauce. He liked reading Vince Flynn and David Baldacci mystery novels, and enjoyed going to the theater and eating out at restaurants.

Family members include his wife of 61 years, Evelyn (Markoski) Lewis; daughters, Roxanne Lewis of Salisbury, MA, Dina King of Hendersonville, TN, and Tiffany Lewis of New York, NY; son, Jay Lewis of Weirs Beach, NH and Holly Hill, FL; grandson, Casey Lewis of Hooksett, NH; sisters, Gloria Twardzick of Tribes Hill, NY, Joy Taylor of Gaffney, SC, and Kay Dowling of Pembroke, NH. In addition to his mother, Gary was predeceased by his step-parents, Raymond and Rena Lewis; and three brothers, Bruce, Ray, and Mark Lewis.

ARRANGEMENTS: His Memorial Gathering will be held at the Cremation Society of NH, inside the Phaneuf Funeral Home, 243 Hanover St., Manchester, on Wednesday, March 14th from 4:00 to 8:00 P.M. Gary will be laid to rest with Military Honors at the New Hampshire State Veterans Cemetery, 110 Daniel Webster Hwy, Boscawen on Thursday, March 15th at 1:00 P.M. Following the burial, a celebration of life will be held at The Derryfield, 625 Mammoth Rd, Manchester at 3:00 PM.