Amy Claire Lewis
Amy Claire Lewis, a resident of Livermore for 37 years, died Feb. 29, 2012 after a 31-year battle with Parkinson’s Disease. She was 77 years old.
Mrs. Lewis was a woman of deep faith who joyfully joined her pastor husband, H. Roger Lewis, in ministry. As her disease progressed and she could no longer function well without help, she had a succession of more than 12 caregivers working with her starting in 1990.
During their time together, she engaged each of them, demonstrating what her son Andy described as “her profound interest in other people.” She routinely discussed Jesus Christ with each of them and, over time, discipled each of them. Her impact on one caregiver was so significant that she named her daughter for Amy.
Mrs. Lewis met her husband, Roger, while they were both attending a young adults group in New York City. They were married Nov. 25, 1955 and then moved to Berkeley so Roger could attend Berkeley Baptist School of Divinity. She worked in the graduate school at the University of California, Berkeley while Roger attended seminary.
After graduating, they served at Oak Lake Baptist Church in Seattle and First American Baptist Church in Hayward before accepting a call to First Baptist Church (now known as Cedar Grove) in Livermore. Roger served as senior pastor there for 18 years while Amy raised their three boys and helped in worship.
Amy played the piano during worship services and served as a discussion leader in Bible Study Fellowship for six years. She also directed a number of the Christmas pageants. She had a particular gift for helping and encouraging women.
The family’s favorite time together was spent at Mt. Hermon for Christian family camps.
She was born in Cairo, Ill. on Jan. 25, 1935 to Bernice Maud Lafoon and Amos William Sickman.
She attended both Millikin University in Decatur and Hunter College in New York City and earned a bachelor’s of arts in sociology.
She is survived by her husband of 56 years, the Rev. H. Roger Lewis, her three sons Mark R. Lewis of Burbank, Andrew H. Lewis (Aleta) of Santa Cruz, Paul W. Lewis (Lynn) of Marina, CA, and seven grandchildren: Cassidy, Michael, Joshua, Grant, Phoebe, Julia and Kirk Lewis. Her brother, Charles William Sickman, died in a drowning accident when she was in high school.
The family prefers contributions in her memory to Shepherd’s Gate, 1660 Portola Ave., Livermore, 94550 or Hope Hospice, 6377 Clark Ave. Suite 110, Dublin, 94568
Obituary credit:independentnews.com