Notes:

Obituary:

Squire Charles Lewis was born in Laurel, New Jersey; he raised himself from age 13, following the deaths of his parents. He is survived by his daughter, Cristin and his brothers, Philemon of Sheffield Lake, Ohio and William of Ponte Verde Beach, Florida.

Through the span of his extraordinary life, Squire worked as a laborer, carpenter, stone mason, Fuller Brushman, sheep herder, Irish Wolfhound breeder, IBM tabulating machine operator, steel mill grinder and photographer. He participated in the construction of locks, dams and bridges on the Ohio, Mississippi, Saint Lawrence, Detroit, Arkansas and other rivers. He managed a real estate office, consulted on the construction of IH-35's upper deck through Austin, was a volunteer fireman, and served six years as a Justice of the Peace (hence the title "Squire").

During his epic summer of 1966, Squire discovered both Mexico and Texas, decided to spend the rest of his life in Austin, and entered the University of Texas and its only 37 year old freshman Anthropology major.

Starting as a street vendor, he developed the Charles Lewis Company, which became world famous in pioneering the importation of Mexican folk art and weavings. Among his clients were museums, universities, governments and preservation societies around the world, and all the original primitive Mexican fok artists were his friends.

Squire was a loving father to his daughter, Cristin, and the best ex-husband he could be to Mary Lou, Nancy and Sheryll. He was a gracious friend, always willing to share his wine, his time and his stories. Squire had a special affinity for cavers and never met a campfire he didn't like.

Now it's time to put out the embers and scatter the ashes; el famoso don Carlos de Oaxaca y Austin is dead.

A memorial service will be held at the Weed-Corley-Fish Funeral Home in Austin on Tuesday, April 18 at 2:00 PM.

Arrangements by Weed-Corley-Fish Funeral Home, 3125 N. Lamar, 432-8811.

(Published in The Austin American-Statesman on April 17, 1995)

Charles married S.L. Greer (daughter of Milton Nathaniel Greer and Dorothy Elizabeth Regmund) [Group Sheet]