John Gary Lewis

John Gary Lewis was 56 when his time with his loved ones was unexpectedly cut short on June 3, 2023. He lived in Southgate and was preceded in death by his parents, James Gary Lewis and Margaret “Peggy” (Stahl) Lewis. John’s greatest joy, his children, survive him: Ellen Lewis (James Gardner), Benny Lewis (Maia), James Lewis, and Sammy Lewis. John’s ex-wife, and mother of his children, also bears the weight of this loss alongside them. John’s brother, Jim Lewis, and John’s stepmother, Barbara Lewis are also surviving. John leaves behind his cherished partner, Kristyn Spangler, and her children. John donated his tissue, thus extending his love beyond his death. One way you can help John’s love continue is by making a memorial contribution to the Humane Society of Huron Valley or YMCA Storer Camps. There will be no service, as we know John wouldn’t want one, being introverted and generally disliking crowds.

John was born March 1, 1967 and grew up in Allen Park, Michigan. John had only very close friends, caring much more about quality over quantity. John was introverted, and bonded closely with people that shared his interests as he grew up, especially music. John learned to play piano at a young age, and played quite well, as was the case with most things he did. If you spent more than 10 minutes talking to John, you probably know that in 1984, his junior year at Allen Park High School, John’s 4 x 800 meter relay team qualified for the state track finals, in large part because John ran his personal best that day at regionals. Not long after, John enjoyed an “epic” trip to the Upper Peninsula with his best friend, Gordon. John enjoyed spending time with people he loved, doing things they were passionate about.

After graduating in 1985, John attended the University of Michigan. John earned a Bachelor’s in Mechanical Engineering in 1990, then his Master of Engineering, Materials in 1992. John worked for Ford Motor Company right out of college and all the old timers thought he was just some young, wet-behind-the-ears whippersnapper, but he found a way to earn their respect and pal around with the union guys. After a short stint with SoftTech Solutions, John managed a technical writing and documentation team at Compuware, and was darn good at it. He didn’t particularly like work, which isn’t the same as being lazy. He was an extremely hard worker, it’s just that all things being equal, he’d rather not have to work for a living. That day came at the end of March 2021, after Compuware was bought out and he took the opportunity that allowed him to live his life to the fullest, prioritizing activities and people that brought him joy. It’s how he wanted his time to be, having watched his parents die young. John wrote himself a splendid last chapter.

John was so unbelievably proud of his children. He loved them with every ounce of his being. It filled his soul watching them grow and blossom. John played epic games of cut-throat Monopoly with his kids and was always up for spotlighting his putting skills at mini-golf with them. He loved seeing his children invent games at the supper table or around the house. He beamed that his kids were wicked smart and creative; he bragged about how well they took care of each other. He was in his happy place watching them play sports. John’s a big fan of dogs, especially dachshunds (of which he had several over his lifetime) and pitbulls of late. Not so much with the cats. John was head over heels for his girlfriend and while any place they were together was fantastic, the beach was their favorite. They sat for hours watching the water and referring to the birds as dinosaurs. John highly recommends supper at SheWolf.

John loved words and writing. He’d probably say there are too many in this obituary and he’d edit the snot out of it before it went to press. He was shy and might be embarrassed to read about himself. He’d half expect this tribute was written by Chat GPT. It wasn’t. John was a lifelong learner, habitually binging hours of YouTube videos of fixing stuff, philosophy, and quantum physics. John had music flowing through him. His favorite guitar (of a meager six) was his Martin Shenandoah HD-2832. How many guitars do you need? N + 1. (Same goes for bikes.) John was an accomplished luthier. His work was exquisite and as you might expect from a perfectionist, some of the guitars, like other projects, often had a fate of being unfinished. John played pianos (again, he had several) and wished he had more than an A harmonica so he could learn more songs. John switched radio stations when Bob Seger came on. When he heard Eurythmics he would say, “Jimmy’s room,” remembering his brother and their teen years. He saw Styx twice and made sure to remind those around him that he was in the front row the first time.

John had an eye for women’s fashion. He had an uncanny ability to identify a pair of Jimmy Choo pumps from 50 yards and spent a fair amount of time studying the jewelry in nearly every store that carried it. He enjoyed ironing because it reminded him of his mother. Sometimes John would cry while at the task, lost in his memories of her. He asked for shoe polishing supplies for Father’s Day and was the go-to guy for his family's sewing needs. He baked a show-stopper apple pie, recently adapting his crust with a secret ingredient (it’s vodka). Thrift shops and estate sales were his jam, although they always wanted too much for the bikes or hand planes. When he was lucky, he found those ceramic clowns by Emmet Kelly, Jr, although no one seemed to appreciate them as much as he. John swore the only way to drive was in a standard transmission, but he didn’t hesitate to admit how fun it was to drive his son's EV. His Miata was his favorite car and he wished he had never sold it. John loved checking the coins he received in change hoping to discover something rare. He pulled out clutch answers at trivia and acrobatic saves in pickleball, both activities which showcased his competitive side. He spent countless evenings playing basketball with his children in the driveway, often drawing other neighborhood kids to join in. He showed poise whether winning or losing, but you could tell he preferred winning when the frustration of not slipped through momentarily. John was steeped in Michigan football and he got to go out with two consecutive wins against Ohio State. He was stubborn and generous, genius intelligent, and affectionate. He was private, respectful, impatient, and strong. John rescued bicycles from garages and pieced together works of art. His browser history was an encyclopedia of group sets. John was riding one such creation, his red Ridley Gladius, just before his death. John was happy, fulfilled, and loved. Who can ask for more?