Walter Lewis

Walter Sheldon Lewis passed away Wednesday, July 24, 2024, at his home in Wake Forest, N.C., at the age of 91.  

He was born Dec. 4, 1932, at the family home in Reed Point, Mont., to Sheldon and Phoebe (Whitford) Lewis. He was the oldest of three children and was soon joined by his brother, Robert, and his sister, Marlene.  

He graduated from Reed Point High School in 1950; he was a proud Pirate for life. In February of 1951 he enlisted in the United States Army and served in the Korean War, where he was stationed in Korea and Japan. Walt's military service shaped who he was for the remainder of his life and he was active in the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars for the rest of his life.  He was so proud of his service and later in life was never seen without his Korean War Veteran hat.

Upon returning from the war, Walt enrolled in Eastern Montana College in Billings, Mont., where he studied English and physical education. He was a lifelong learner and would go on to take college courses for decades to come; he earned a Master's degree and at one time had more teaching endorsements than any other person in the state of Montana.  Upon graduating from college, he began teaching in Idaho.  

He returned to Reed Point for Christmas break in 1966, and on New Year's Eve met Linda Bjorndal, who was teaching in Reed Point and lived across the street from Walt's parents. Walt and Linda corresponded for the remainder of the school year when Walt returned to Idaho and married on Aug. 9, 1967. Walt and Linda had three children, Joy, Robert, and Joanne. The family moved where the teaching jobs took them over the years. Walt taught in Oilmount, Lodge Grass, Red Lodge, Brockton, Reed Point, Hays-Lodge Pole, Opheim, Outlook, and Grenora, North Dakota.  

When Walt and Linda retired from teaching, they moved to Urbana, Ill., to help care for Joanne's daughter. When Joanne's family moved to North Carolina, Walt and Linda made the move as well, enjoying the beautiful weather and lack of snow.

Walt is preceded in death by his parents; his brother, Bob and Bob's widow Norma Bartosh; his sister, Marlene Refsland, and her husband Dave; and Linda's parents, Bjarne and Mae Bjorndal.

 He is survived by his wife Linda, the love of his life; his daughter, Joy Watson, her husband, Jake Marinenko, and their children, Taryn Watson, Gavin Marinenko, and Wyatt Marinenko, all of Minnesota, his son, Robert (Bob) Lewis, and his children, Robert Lewis and Frankie Morin, along with Frankie's children, all of Colorado, Joanne Noel, her husband Frantz, and their daughter, Alyssa, of North Carolina; his brother Bob's children, Andy Bartosh, his wife, Pam, and their children, Steve Bartosh and his wife Michelle, and Steve and Andy's sisters, Aileen and Elaine; his brother-in-law, Dave Bjorndal and his wife Sherry, of Big Timber, Mont., and their children, Curtis, Mitzi, and Melissa; Marlene and Dave Refsland's children, Bill, Brenda Gustafson and David; as well as many beloved cousins, nieces and nephews, and friends.