Gary David Lewis Visitation & Memorial Service

On August 7th, 2023 Gary David Lewis passed into the arms of his loving Savior at home with his family gathered around. He was 79 years old. Gary was born on November 12, 1943 in Petaluma, California, the first child of Bayard Lewis and Dorothy (Wasdahl) Lewis. With WWII raging, Gary’s father was stationed at “Two Rock Ranch”, a secret Army Intelligence training base. His father was then posted to India where he worked with others intercepting Japanese military transmissions. Gary’s mother returned to North Dakota with Gary to wait out the war. After his parents’ deaths, Gary found the letters his parents had written to each other and compiled them into a book for his siblings and himself.

During his early life, Gary lived in Milner, ND where his father was a railroad depot agent; then the family moved to Grand Forks, ND for his father to finish college and a law degree. Wahpeton, ND became his home when Gary was 12 years old and he lived there with his parents and 6 siblings until 1961 when Gary left for college. He earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education and Choral Conducting from Concordia College, Moorhead, MD in 1965. While at Concordia, Gary sang in the renowned Concordia Choir and so began his lifelong love of choral music. His first job was teaching grades 1-12 music in McLaughlin, SD for two years. From there he moved to Des Moines, IA to teach High School choral music.

In June of 1967, Gary returned to a Lutheran church camp near Shawano, WI where he had formerly been a camp counselor, to offer his services as a volunteer for a few weeks. There he met his future wife, Suanne (Sue) Hallock, who was a first-time camp counselor. After spending 10 weeks as fellow counselors, the couple revealed that they had been engaged since their second date. A year later they married on June 15, 1968 at Midvale Lutheran Church in Madison, Wi.

Gary and Sue had both grown up in Christian homes and they shared a strong faith and the conviction that their life purpose as a couple was to love, accept and bring comfort to those whose circumstances of life were painful and difficult. They worked hard to make their home a “safe place” for all. Gary’s quiet manner and gentle ways drew people to him and his passion was to awaken the knowledge of God’s love in those he met.

In 1976, Gary was ordained in the Assemblies of God and became head of the Music Department at North Central Bible College in Minneapolis, MN. Here he found great joy teaching excellence in music, as conductor of the North Central Chorale and as pastor/mentor to his students.

In the years that followed, Gary and Sue felt a call to pastor a small congregation in Sturgis, SD that was struggling after a painful congregational split. Their time there was filled with work bringing healing to that small body of believers, helping rebuild the church’s sense of community and mission and discovering anew that God is faithful.

In 1981, Gary returned to the teaching ministry as Chairman of the Music Department at Trinity Bible College in Ellendale, ND and conductor/pastor of the Trinity College Chorale.

In 1983, feeling the need to move their family back to Sue’s hometown, they moved back to Wisconsin and for the last 25 years Gary taught children with learning differences. As much as he had loved his career in choral music performance and education, he stated that he found the greatest fulfillment in helping children discover their own ways to learn and seeing these children grow and achieve success in life.

Gary retired in 2008 and began a whole new chapter, creating beautiful abstract collage art, volunteering on the Pastoral Care team at St. Mary’s Care Center, serving as a Stephen Minister through Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, mentoring and encouraging people to find ways to enlarge their lives and shine.

As a husband and best friend, as a loving father, as an adoring grandfather (“Papa”), as a servant of the Lord, Gary will be greatly missed. But his life legacy continues on in those he loved, mentored, ministered to and walked with through life.

Gary is survived by his wife Sue, daughter Kira (John Seguin), son Jon (Brooke), and grandchildren Kailey Schwartz (Austin Schwartz), Tyler Lewis, and Arianna Seguin; siblings Linda (Dale Parenteau), Jay (Lyntha) Lewis, Gail Lewis, Bob (Heidi) Lewis, Jim (Vi) Lewis, many nieces and nephews and dear friends locally and scattered worldwide. He was preceded in death by his parents and one sister, Julie Lewis.

The family would like to give special thanks to the pastoral staff of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, who visited Gary many times in the hospital and at home, and for the loving care given to Gary by the nurses, CNAs and social workers of Agrace Hospice Care.

A Celebration of Joy will be held at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 5701 Raymond Rd, Madison, WI 53711 at 11:00 a.m., Wednesday, August 16, 2023. A visitation will take place one hour prior to the service, from 10-11:00 a.m. at the church.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorial gifts be directed to Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Agrace Hospice Care or a charity of the giver’s choice.