Lewis

Charlotte May “Connie” Lewis of Lovell, Wyo., formerly of New Castle, was born Dec. 8, 1923, in Martins Ferry, Ohio, to Paul Leo and Lillian May Schucht Conaway.

She died at St. Vincent Hospital in Billings, Mont., on Saturday following a fall at the home of her daughter.

Charlotte graduated from Martins Ferry High School in 1941. She married 2nd Lt. Charles Christopher Lewis, a U.S. Marine Corps pilot, in New Castle on May 14, 1945. They were married exactly 62 and a half years when he died on Nov. 14, 2007.

Charlotte worked at a variety of jobs during her life. She worked as a telephone operator for Bell Telephone in New Castle, as well as in Troutman's department store before her marriage.

After marriage, she became a homemaker, raising five children before returning to the work force. She worked at a W.T. Grant department store, and then became a bookkeeper at Thrifty Market on New Castle's west side. Following that, she became a bookkeeper at the Friendly Ice Cream store on Wilmington Road in New Castle. She was a Tupperware dealer for a brief time and also did a brief stint as a volunteer packing dinners for Meals on Wheels in New Castle.

She was a member of the Clen-Moore United Presbyterian Church of New Castle, and as her children were growing up, she was active in the church choir and adult Sunday school and helped with church activities such as youth group, Bible school, church dinners, and the father and son banquets.

Charlotte was a life member and Past Worthy Matron of the Order of the Eastern Star, New Castle Chapter 105, and was involved at various other times in Wimodausis and White Shrine. She had a beautiful singing voice. As a young girl, she sang in a gospel quartet on the radio and as an adult, she sang lead in a barbershop quartet. She was a charter member of the New Castle chapter of Sweet Adelines.

Following her husband's death, Charlotte moved to Lovell, Wyo., in 2010 to live with her daughter.

She is survived by five children, Cheryl Grotefend of Valencia, Calif., Coleen Lewis of Lovell, Wyo., twin sons, Chris and Chad Lewis of New Castle, and Cindy Lewis of Huntington Beach, Calif. She also is also survived by eight grandchildren, Charles Grotefend (Dianne) of Powell, Wyo., James Grotefend of Valencia, Calif., James Lewis (Andrea) of Louisville, Ky., Matthew Lewis (Barbara Anne) of Mars, Kathy Lewis, Craig Lewis, Kimberly Wheeler, and Mark Lewis of New Castle; and 12 great-grandchildren, Kyle, Chaz and Daniel Grotefend, Samantha and Katelyn Frasso, Trentan Wolfe, Christian, Sarah Elizabeth and Cameron Lewis, and Adrianna, Jeremy and Zachary Wheeler.

In addition to her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by three sisters, Clara Williams, Helen Lewis and Ruth Kinnan, and one brother, Howard Conaway.

<B>LEWIS</B> — A memorial service for Charlotte May “Connie” Lewis, who died Saturday, Jan. 14, 2012, will be at 1 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 21, at the Lovell United Methodist Church with Pastor Paula Morse officiating. A graveside service will be conducted and cremains interred at Oak Park Cemetery in New Castle later.In lieu of flowers, the family requests a memorial contribution in Charlotte’s name be made to a charity of the donor’s choice.<B>Haskell Funeral Home</B> in Lovell, Wyo., is in charge of arrangements. Condolences may be sent to the family online at www.haskellfuneralhome.com.