Ray D. Lewis, 65, of Bowling Green, Ohio died Wednesday morning in Medical College of Ohio Hospital, Toledo. He was born June 30, 1937 in Bowling Green to Mr. and Mrs. William T. and N. Yeulalah (Coller) Lewis. He married Trudy L. (Duquette), January 14, 1983 and she survives of Bowling Green. Mr. Lewis retired in 1999 as a fabrication manager with Philip Services, Toledo. He attended St, Aloysius Catholic Church in Bowling Green, was a member of the Moose Lodge in Port Clinton and Boilermakers Union Local #85 Toledo. Also surviving is 2 daughters, Dawn M. (Todd) Nienow of Bowling Geen, Tamara L. Lewis of Port Clinton; 2 sons, Cody L. of Bowling Green, Craig A. of Arizona; sister, Olive Todd of Bowling Green and 10 grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents and 4 brothers.

Funeral services will be held Saturday at 10:30 a.m. in the St. Aloysius Catholic Church in Bowling Green. Father Edward Schleter will officiate. Burial will be in Oak Grove Cemetery. Visitation will be held Friday from 4 to 8 p.m. in the Dunn Funeral Home, Bowling Green. A Vigil Service will be held Friday at 7:45 p.m.

**Note** My Dad was a strong man. I am proud to say he was my father. He was a private man not openly discussing his feelings but you always knew how he felt about you. He enjoyed trapping and fishing but he loved hunting. I remember as a young girl he would take my brother and I with him to check muskrat traps. He even took me hunting squirrel and rabbit *once*. I had a problem when it came to actually killing the little furry, adorable creatures and would warn them just before his finger would pull the trigger. Like I said, I went *once*. Fishing was fun with him. Although, he had me convinced that we weren't supposed to talk while fishing. He would tell me that it "scared the fish" and that I had to remain quiet. I believed him until I grew up and learned the truth. I have to admit though, I told the same thing to my own kids. (It worked too)

Besides hunting, he loved to play golf, shoot pool and go bowling with his buddies. He loved to cook. When I think of Dad I see him standing at his stove, wooden spoon in hand standing over a steaming pot of soup or standing there admiring his freshly roasted turkey with carving knife in hand with a grin on his face. That is, as long as you stayed out of his way.

Alot of my most vivid memories as a young girl were the Sundays we spent at my Grandma Lewises house with other family members. I remember my Dad and my Uncles Roy, Dick and Todd all hanging around the kitchen talking and kidding each other about something one of them may have done years before. I will never forget the laughter. They all seemed larger than life to me. My cousins and I were always welcome to hang around and listen to the stories. Grandma would be busy at the stove cooking and trying to keep us children from ruining our appetites before dinner by munching on the cookies or candy she had made for the occasion. Sunday's were about family. I was blessed to be a part of it.

I miss him today and I am thankful for the memories.