The Franklin News-Post
P. O. Box 250
310 Main Street, SW
Rocky Mount, Virginia 24151
540-483-5113
Fax: 540-483-8013
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Owen Lewis |
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
By MORRIS STEPHENSON - Staff Writer
Owen Lewis, a 40-year-old Rocky Mount volunteer firefighter, lost his battle with cancer Sunday evening.
Lewis died just over a month after local residents generously responded with the biggest yard sale fundraiser ever held in Rocky Mount. Items donated for the sale filled all the bays of the fire station.
More than $15,000 was raised to assist the family with medical bills.
The Rocky Mount Volunteer Fire Department, of which Lewis was a member for 16 years and served as chaplain, held the fundraiser April 17 at the fire station on North Main Street.
Lewis, his wife, Rachel, and children, Issac, 13; Amber, 11; Isabella, 10; and Andrew, 8, attended the event.
Lewis was presented with a certificate of appreciation from the Town of Rocky Mount for his years of dedicated service as a fireman.
Rocky Mount Fire Chief Posey Dillon praised Lewis for his dedication and his volunteer work in putting down new carpet in the original fire department building on Floyd Avenue.
In addition to being a member of the volunteer fire department, Lewis also served for eight years as youth leader of the Blue Ridge Gospel Tabernacle.
The Rocky Mount VFD has a second fundraiser for the Lewis family scheduled for Saturday at the North Main Street facility.
Tickets are still being sold for the raffle of a handmade dulcimer and case presented by master woodcrafter James Webb, chief of the Callaway VFD, who was assisted on the project by his wife, Dot. The drawing for the instrument will be held at noon Monday, May 31.
Donations still can be made to assist the family. Checks should be made payable to the Rocky Mount Volunteer Fire Department. |
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