Clarence was born in Batesville, AR on January 25, 1954 to Hoover and Willia Jean (Walden) Lewis. He graduated as a three-year letterman from Batesville High School in 1972. He graduated with a B.A. from Welch College (formerly known as Free Will Baptist Bible College), Nashville, TN, in 1976 with a major in business.
His first job was at Randall Christian Academy in Memphis, TN, where he served as bookkeeper and coach. He became close to the children and teens at RCA, as well as in Randall Memorial FWB Church.
He worked for Randall House Publishing in Nashville, TN as Chief Financial Officer for a number of years. Part of his duties included heading up the National Youth Conference which convened every July in conjunction with the National Association of Free Will Baptists Convention.
His last job was at Free Will Baptist Family Ministries in Greeneville, TN. Before being employed by them, he served on their Board of Directors for ten years, eight of which he served as chairman. In 2010 he became their Chief Operating Officer. Due to his Parkinson's, he was forced to retire in 2015.
Over the 45 years he attended Cofer's Chapel FWB Church in Nashville, TN, he served in many capacities, including deacon, Sunday school teacher, softball player and coach, and a member of various church committees.
Clarence was diagnosed with Parkinson's in 2003, but it did not slow him down at all. He continued playing golf, and participating in sports every chance he got. He also loved playing indoor games with family. But his favorite pastime was playing with his kids and grandkids.
When Steven and Jenny were growing up, anytime they asked him to play with them, he always said yes. Always, no matter how tired or busy he was. I said something to him one day, after a particularly grueling day, that maybe he should rest first. His answer was: One of these days, they'll stop asking. He didn't want to miss a minute. His favorite song was "Cat's in the Cradle" sung by Harry Chapin. When you get a chance, give it a listen.
This determination not to miss a minute continued with his grandkids. There are pictures of him reading to the kids, racing with the kids, letting them "help" him put together shelving and fix a chair, playing hide and seek, Ring around the Rosie, and racing cars. They played bocce, pitch and catch, croquet, chess, checkers, cribbage, and backgammon, to name but a few. As his Parkinson's progressed, he might mix up the rules, or forget exactly how to play, but they didn't care. They were playing with Grandpa.
He is survived by his wife of 44 years, Jean Picirilli; two children, Steven (Rachel) Lewis; and Jenny (Kiley) Hawkins; four grandchildren, Corban and Dylan Lewis, and Abigail and Evan Hawkins; his father Hoover Lewis; and his sister LaDohnna (John) Freeman, and nieces Nichole (Daniel) Lockwood, Amy Freeman, and Laura (Drew) Vinson and their children Lilly, Griffin and Emma Lockwood, and Joel and Elliott Vinson.
His first job was at Randall Christian Academy in Memphis, TN, where he served as bookkeeper and coach. He became close to the children and teens at RCA, as well as in Randall Memorial FWB Church.
He worked for Randall House Publishing in Nashville, TN as Chief Financial Officer for a number of years. Part of his duties included heading up the National Youth Conference which convened every July in conjunction with the National Association of Free Will Baptists Convention.
His last job was at Free Will Baptist Family Ministries in Greeneville, TN. Before being employed by them, he served on their Board of Directors for ten years, eight of which he served as chairman. In 2010 he became their Chief Operating Officer. Due to his Parkinson's, he was forced to retire in 2015.
Over the 45 years he attended Cofer's Chapel FWB Church in Nashville, TN, he served in many capacities, including deacon, Sunday school teacher, softball player and coach, and a member of various church committees.
Clarence was diagnosed with Parkinson's in 2003, but it did not slow him down at all. He continued playing golf, and participating in sports every chance he got. He also loved playing indoor games with family. But his favorite pastime was playing with his kids and grandkids.
When Steven and Jenny were growing up, anytime they asked him to play with them, he always said yes. Always, no matter how tired or busy he was. I said something to him one day, after a particularly grueling day, that maybe he should rest first. His answer was: One of these days, they'll stop asking. He didn't want to miss a minute. His favorite song was "Cat's in the Cradle" sung by Harry Chapin. When you get a chance, give it a listen.
This determination not to miss a minute continued with his grandkids. There are pictures of him reading to the kids, racing with the kids, letting them "help" him put together shelving and fix a chair, playing hide and seek, Ring around the Rosie, and racing cars. They played bocce, pitch and catch, croquet, chess, checkers, cribbage, and backgammon, to name but a few. As his Parkinson's progressed, he might mix up the rules, or forget exactly how to play, but they didn't care. They were playing with Grandpa.
He is survived by his wife of 44 years, Jean Picirilli; two children, Steven (Rachel) Lewis; and Jenny (Kiley) Hawkins; four grandchildren, Corban and Dylan Lewis, and Abigail and Evan Hawkins; his father Hoover Lewis; and his sister LaDohnna (John) Freeman, and nieces Nichole (Daniel) Lockwood, Amy Freeman, and Laura (Drew) Vinson and their children Lilly, Griffin and Emma Lockwood, and Joel and Elliott Vinson.
Clarence was born in Batesville, AR on January 25, 1954 to Hoover and Willia Jean (Walden) Lewis. He graduated as a three-year letterman from Batesville High School in 1972. He graduated with a B.A. from Welch College (formerly known as Free Will Baptist Bible College), Nashville, TN, in 1976 with a major in business.
His first job was at Randall Christian Academy in Memphis, TN, where he served as bookkeeper and coach. He became close to the children and teens at RCA, as well as in Randall Memorial FWB Church.
He worked for Randall House Publishing in Nashville, TN as Chief Financial Officer for a number of years. Part of his duties included heading up the National Youth Conference which convened every July in conjunction with the National Association of Free Will Baptists Convention.
His last job was at Free Will Baptist Family Ministries in Greeneville, TN. Before being employed by them, he served on their Board of Directors for ten years, eight of which he served as chairman. In 2010 he became their Chief Operating Officer. Due to his Parkinson's, he was forced to retire in 2015.
Over the 45 years he attended Cofer's Chapel FWB Church in Nashville, TN, he served in many capacities, including deacon, Sunday school teacher, softball player and coach, and a member of various church committees.
Clarence was diagnosed with Parkinson's in 2003, but it did not slow him down at all. He continued playing golf, and participating in sports every chance he got. He also loved playing indoor games with family. But his favorite pastime was playing with his kids and grandkids.
When Steven and Jenny were growing up, anytime they asked him to play with them, he always said yes. Always, no matter how tired or busy he was. I said something to him one day, after a particularly grueling day, that maybe he should rest first. His answer was: One of these days, they'll stop asking. He didn't want to miss a minute. His favorite song was "Cat's in the Cradle" sung by Harry Chapin. When you get a chance, give it a listen.
This determination not to miss a minute continued with his grandkids. There are pictures of him reading to the kids, racing with the kids, letting them "help" him put together shelving and fix a chair, playing hide and seek, Ring around the Rosie, and racing cars. They played bocce, pitch and catch, croquet, chess, checkers, cribbage, and backgammon, to name but a few. As his Parkinson's progressed, he might mix up the rules, or forget exactly how to play, but they didn't care. They were playing with Grandpa.
He is survived by his wife of 44 years, Jean Picirilli; two children, Steven (Rachel) Lewis; and Jenny (Kiley) Hawkins; four grandchildren, Corban and Dylan Lewis, and Abigail and Evan Hawkins; his father Hoover Lewis; and his sister LaDohnna (John) Freeman, and nieces Nichole (Daniel) Lockwood, Amy Freeman, and Laura (Drew) Vinson and their children Lilly, Griffin and Emma Lockwood, and Joel and Elliott Vinson.
His first job was at Randall Christian Academy in Memphis, TN, where he served as bookkeeper and coach. He became close to the children and teens at RCA, as well as in Randall Memorial FWB Church.
He worked for Randall House Publishing in Nashville, TN as Chief Financial Officer for a number of years. Part of his duties included heading up the National Youth Conference which convened every July in conjunction with the National Association of Free Will Baptists Convention.
His last job was at Free Will Baptist Family Ministries in Greeneville, TN. Before being employed by them, he served on their Board of Directors for ten years, eight of which he served as chairman. In 2010 he became their Chief Operating Officer. Due to his Parkinson's, he was forced to retire in 2015.
Over the 45 years he attended Cofer's Chapel FWB Church in Nashville, TN, he served in many capacities, including deacon, Sunday school teacher, softball player and coach, and a member of various church committees.
Clarence was diagnosed with Parkinson's in 2003, but it did not slow him down at all. He continued playing golf, and participating in sports every chance he got. He also loved playing indoor games with family. But his favorite pastime was playing with his kids and grandkids.
When Steven and Jenny were growing up, anytime they asked him to play with them, he always said yes. Always, no matter how tired or busy he was. I said something to him one day, after a particularly grueling day, that maybe he should rest first. His answer was: One of these days, they'll stop asking. He didn't want to miss a minute. His favorite song was "Cat's in the Cradle" sung by Harry Chapin. When you get a chance, give it a listen.
This determination not to miss a minute continued with his grandkids. There are pictures of him reading to the kids, racing with the kids, letting them "help" him put together shelving and fix a chair, playing hide and seek, Ring around the Rosie, and racing cars. They played bocce, pitch and catch, croquet, chess, checkers, cribbage, and backgammon, to name but a few. As his Parkinson's progressed, he might mix up the rules, or forget exactly how to play, but they didn't care. They were playing with Grandpa.
He is survived by his wife of 44 years, Jean Picirilli; two children, Steven (Rachel) Lewis; and Jenny (Kiley) Hawkins; four grandchildren, Corban and Dylan Lewis, and Abigail and Evan Hawkins; his father Hoover Lewis; and his sister LaDohnna (John) Freeman, and nieces Nichole (Daniel) Lockwood, Amy Freeman, and Laura (Drew) Vinson and their children Lilly, Griffin and Emma Lockwood, and Joel and Elliott Vinson.
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