Oh God, our help in ages past, our hope for things to come, our shelter from the stormy blast, and our eternal home.
Daniel Edwin Lewis, Jr June 13, 1935-August 27, 2025
Dan’s favorite poet Dylan Thomas wrote: “Do not go gentle into that good night, …rage, rage against the dying of the light.” If you’re not familiar with this quote, it means “to confront the end of life with strength and defiance, rather than resignation.” Which feels very appropriate for Dan.
Dan died after a long battle with dementia at The Fraser, which is the skilled nursing facility at The Seabrook on Hilton Head, where he was compassionately cared for this past month. He is survived by his forever love, wife Linda, his daughter Karen, his two granddaughters, Evie and Sophie, both of whom were the absolute light of his life, and his loving sister Nancy. He was preceded in death by his parents, Dan and Annette Lewis, and his son Greg.
Dan married Linda Brainard Lewis on June 25, 1960, and they recently celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary together. Dan was also celebrated for his 90th birthday in June of 2025 with many of his family in attendance in South Carolina.
When daughter Karen had to write her college entrance essay, the writing prompt was to describe someone who was a Renaissance Man (or Woman), which Dan most definitely was. He held a deep intellectual curiosity, was well-versed in a variety of subjects, had innate creativity, and possessed a profound love of music.
Dan attended DePauw University where he earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree, and The University of Michigan, where he earned his Juris Doctor degree. If the Wolverines came up in conversation, he immediately launched into the fight song – “Hail to the victors valiant, hail to the conquering heroes, hail, hail to Michigan…” In 1961 he joined his father in the law firm of Newby, Lewis, Kaminski & Jones in La Porte, Indiana. While his law practice focused on many things over the years, his specialty was estate planning, and it was not uncommon for the family to discuss living wills and trusts and other legal subjects over dinner.
He served his community well by being on countless boards, as a member, leader, and mentor, while providing legal advice, both paid and pro-bono. He was a founder of the Unity Foundation of La Porte County, a community foundation created by and for the residents of La Porte County to provide grants, scholarships, and other funds to support local residents and groups.
The church was very important to Dan. He was a man of abiding faith and believed most definitely in the Holy Trinity. He taught both adult and teen Sunday school at The Presbyterian Church of La Porte, served as a Deacon, and Elder, and sang tenor in the choir. Singing was just part of his love of music—we were a musical family, and it was incorporated in all aspects of our lives, but he FELT the music, deeply. Part of that included multiple trips to Europe with a singing group called Sounds of Hope, traveling to seven countries, staying with host families, and singing in churches in small towns.
When we say that Dan was “into gardening,” that’s a fairly simplistic description. It was his passion. He had over three acres of land, and it was ALL landscaped beautifully. Most mornings before going off to work he would go out to garden. Gardens had themes: one was a “tapestry hedge” created by planting different varieties of evergreens, which wove together as they grew. Another garden was planted with boxwoods and flowers, designed to represent the stained-glass windows at Chartres Cathedral in France. There were “flying buttresses” sculpted out of yews that hid statues of children with musical instruments meant to be a secret garden for his granddaughters. He created a Japanese garden complete with pagoda and spiritual walking path. His gardens were written up in an issue of Chicagoland Gardening Magazine.
Dan discovered cooking late in life, and had an amazing knack for it, enjoying creating chaos in the kitchen for large groups when entertaining, as well as just for the family. Some of it was by recipe, some by taste – he once made a butternut squash soup that was the best thing one had ever tasted, but he couldn’t remember how he doctored it up and was never able to replicate it! We had a tradition called Thanksgiving Two, where many of our out-of-town guests returned to our house on the Friday after Thanksgiving for a dinner he prepared, usually leg of lamb. We faithfully cleaned up after him, because, well, it was really, really good.
In the past few years, after his dementia began, “I await further instructions” was his catch phrase, knowing that Linda would keep him in line and let him know what he needed to do.
He is now awaiting instructions from his heavenly Father, who will certainly call on him to minister to others, sing with joy, create beauty, and feed the masses in heaven.
A celebration of life will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, June 6, 2026, followed by burial in the Columbarium at The La Porte Presbyterian Church, 307 Kingsbury Avenue, La Porte, Indiana.
Arrangements have been entrusted to Frank L.Keszei Funeral Home, Essling Chapel in La Porte.
Should friends desire, gifts may be made in Dan’s memory to the Unity Foundation’s Carillon Fund of The Presbyterian Church of La Porte. https://uflc.net/funds/carillon-fund-of-the-presbyterian-church-of-la-porte/
To light a virtual candle, share a cherished memory, or leave a message of comfort for Jim’s family, please visit esslingfuneralhome.com.
