Gene Lewis

Freddie Gene Lewis, age 84, of Fairview, TN sadly passed away on August 10, 2022.

Gene was born in Perry County on July 6, 1938, to the late Cecil and Lauis (Horner) Lewis. August of 1958, Gene married his high school sweetheart Wardie Blye and was happily married for 63 years. Working hard his whole life, he was a family man who prioritized his family above everything else. He was a devoted husband and father, grandfather, and great grandfather and will be greatly missed by all his family and friends.

Gene began his career in book manufacturing at the United Methodist Publishing house in Nashville.  However, his love for the business and for book manufacturing didn’t truly blossom until he went to work for Nicholstone Book bindery, where he worked until retirement. Beginning as a hand casemaker, Gene worked his way up and became an automatic case making operator. Afterwards, Gene held various departmental supervisory positions, then divisional management positions. Blessed with work that he truly loved, Gene thrived at Nicholstone and had a positive impact on the company and so many of the employees he knew as friends. After retirement, Gene offered his knowledge as a consultant to local businesses, then worked with his sons at Publishers’ Graphics, a family-owned business, where he continued sharing his love for book manufacturing.

Gene loved everything pertaining to his childhood home in Perry County, his parents, brothers, sister and friends. Having been raised in the country, he dearly loved the outdoors where his earlier days were filled with farming, hunting, and commercial fishing the TN river and its banks and later, passing that love and acquired knowledge on to his two sons.

Papa was known to always have an interesting story or rhyme to tell and especially loved telling them to his grandchildren. There once was a little bird… Yes, Papa will be sadly missed but his humorous rhymes, zest for life, and words of wisdom will always be remembered.

He is proceeded in death by his sister Florence (Hugh) Cearley and brothers Tony (Freda) Lewis and Buddy (Nell) Lewis.

He is survived by two sons, Dale (Rosa) Lewis and Nick (Kathleen) Lewis; Grandchildren, Keeli (Adam) Kelchner, Cara (Tommy) Lahey, Rachel (Dusty) England, Sidney (Ryan) Hall, Burk Lewis, and Julia Perkins; and 7 great grandchildren.

The Reverends Adam Kelchner and Todd Kelly will be officiating.

Pallbearers: Honorary – Phil Cearley, Burk Lewis, Dusty England, Adam Kelchner, Tommy Lahey and David Moore