Mark Lee Lewis

mark lewis

The beginning . . . Mark Lee Lewis was born on 2/3/1950. His mother, Mique Lewis, and his father Everett Lewis had two boys: Mark Lee Lewis and Charles Walter Lewis. His brother, 8 years older, was very influential in Mark's life. His brother helped raise Mark and gave him guidance that made him into the father, husband, and friend we all know him to be. His brother was with Mark on Day 1 and he was with Mark in the end. He loved his brother very much and his brother loved him very much. From his Brother Charles Walter Lewis . . . It started when mom was pregnant with him she told my dad the doctor wanted to abort the baby because he couldn't hear a heartbeat. Mom said no and then on February 3 1950 mark was born. The rest of our young lives was great! we had a lot of fun together. We went fishing, hunting and more. When I was playing ball in Arvada, you were the bat boy. Then when you were old enough, you started playing, Mom and I hardly missed a game. You always had friends around, Dave Abrams, Dan Cook, Jamie Murch and many more. We always were doing something. I remember deer hunting with you and Dave, you went and sat in a saddle so we could drive the deer to you. Dave and I started to drive them, we heard shots nearby, got to a clearing, looked up and saw a herd of deer just looking at you and one was sniffing you, we thought you got shot. We ran up to you and Dave said 'Mark, Mark you ok' then you woke up! Oh how we laughed. There are too many memories and stories to tell, but I have them in my mind and will never forget them. Yes, my brother you are my rock and always will be. His childhood friends . . . He grew up in Arvada where he met his best friend, Dave Abrams when he was 2 years old. They were attached at the hip. Always hanging out together and looking after each other. As they grew up together, both of them wanted to be police officers, and they did! Let me correct that, they wanted to be "Denver" Police Officers. So many great stories of them working together, taking care of each other and helping people. Dave and Mark stories are so funny, so genuine and probably not appropriate to tell in a Catholic Church. Dave was with Mark in the beginning and in the end. Mark met another great childhood friend, Dan Cook. Mark and Dan were very close friends throughout his life. When Dan was working as a CEO of a Company, everyone knew when Mark gave him a call at his office: all the employees could hear a very distinguished laugh coming out of his office. No one was able to make Dan laugh as much as Mark. Dan was with Mark in the end. Dave Dixon, was another great childhood friend. 3 Weeks ago, Mark was telling Adam and Jennifer a story about Dave Dixon. (We all know Mark could tell a great story!) Mark and Dave stopped into a convenience store to make a purchase. Mark had to write a check for forty dollars. He looked at Dixon, and he said "hey how do you spell forty?" Dixon replied "you don't know how to spell forty?" Mark said "no" Dixon replied "me neither". And he said they both laughed and laughed. Mark is now with a very great friend. Mark, Dave, Dan and Dave Dixon graduated together from Arvada High School in 1968 with several classmates that had gone to school together since kindergarten. Mark had so many close friends. Mark had a very unique ability to make you a friend in a very quick time. Friends of Mark are friends forever. The Police Officer . . . Mark loved being a Police Officer. When he was 18, he did a ride along with an Arvada Police Officer. He told his son "it was awesome!" "We got in a chase and arrested two people" . . . He was hooked. He never wanted to take a day off, he loved being a Police Officer. He loved helping people, and especially helping kids. Mark began his career in the Denver Police Cadet program while he attended Metropolitan State College and was sworn in as an officer in 1971. Over his 33 year career, Mark held many different assignments. He spent the majority of his career in the METRO/SWAT Unit. He was involved in many high risk missions. It was during this time, where he would meet so many lifetime friends. These core friends became so close, they are like brothers to each other. You all know who you are. He also worked many years for the Denver Broncos. He was able to meet so many wonderful people, and he was so proud and honored to work for the Denver Broncos. Mark was always sharing his opportunity with his family. For example, he was able to take his son down to the Bronco practice facility. Adam was able to meet a number of bronco players, and he even caught three passes from the Hall of Fame Quarterback John Elway. Adam says "my dad would always tell me how much he enjoyed the friendships he was able to have with so many Denver Bronco players, and with the individuals who worked for the Broncos Organization." Mark worked for the Colorado Rockies as their first Resident Agent. Adam says "I remember when my Dad first interviewed for the job. He told me he was very excited about the opportunity to work for the Rockies Organization, but he told me that he thought he might not get selected. He said Adam, there are so many higher ranking Police Officers interviewing for the job. I told him, Dad, I don't think rank will matter in this one, turns out they picked the best one, they picked my Dad!" Mark met another special friend by the name of Kevin Khan, and he absolutely loved their friendship. Mark met and worked with so many great people in the Rockies organization. Mark's love for Hockey was undeniable. He worked almost every home Avalanche game. Adam says "my dad would tell me that he was able to stand right where the players would come onto the ice. Some of them would touch his Badge with their stick for good luck." After he retired from Denver Police Department, he found another opportunity working for Jefferson County Sheriff Department. During that time he met a very special friend, Mark Williams. Mark enjoyed his friendship with Mark Williams very much. Mark enjoyed working with all of the individuals at Jefferson County. After retiring, Mark and Cathy joined the The Looking Glass Corvette Club and the friends in the Rebels Corvette Club where they toured and developed wonderful memories with many new friends. Recently, Mark had a part time job as one of the gatehouse employees at the Backcountry Community in Highlands Ranch. He told his son, this is perfect for me, and he loved the people that worked with him. Everyone that had the pleasure of working with Mark, has so many great and wonderful stories. The stories of him being funny. The stories of him being serious. The stories of him having to be tough. The Coach . . . Mark was a terrific baseball coach. He had an amazing ability to instill an enormous amount of confidence in each of the players. For example, one time during a baseball game, when he was coaching, the center fielder dropped three balls during the game, so he started running off the field back to the dugout. Mark said "Aaron, what are you doing?" Aaron replied, "I dropped three balls, I am taking myself out of the game" Mark responded "you are my center fielder, get back out there, and I don't care if you drop every ball." Mark loved coaching his son in baseball. However, what is so powerful, was how many other players Mark was able to influence in a positive way, not just his son. Mark was also a positive influence to a number of Adam's childhood friends. Mark had the miracle touch. Recently, one of Adam's childhood friends told Adam that there isn't two weeks that goes by where he doesn't think about the experiences he had with Mark. All of Adam's friends have expressed that Mark was very influential in their life. Mark coached baseball for many years. Over those years, he taught his players how to win, how to lose, and most importantly how to never give up. He taught his players how to achieve success through hard work and discipline. He taught his players how to be humble. A quote by John Wooden is perfect: "Talent is God given. Be Humble. Fame is man-given. Be grateful. Conceit is self-given. Be careful." John Wooden. The Husband, Dad, and Poppie . . . He married his love of his life, Cathy Shaeffer Lewis, on 8/21/71. He loved her so much and did everything to be a great husband. Mark took his family on a vacation almost every year. Mark loved investing in memories. Mark loved his wife, Cathy and two kids, Adam and Jennifer very much. As much as he loved being a Police Officer, he loved being a Husband and Father even more. He was the most influential person in all of their lives. He loved his grandchildren: Braden Gorman (12), Tyler Lewis (11), Kyle Lewis (9), and Amelia Lewis (2). Mark loved playing golf with his friends and his son, Adam. Adam tells a story "My dad was golfing with his buddies. He was lining up a put, when one of his friends throws a worm on his ball. He says, oh you think that bothers me, he quickly walks to the ball and eats the worm." Imagine 100s of stories like that. Mark had a special love for his daughter, Jennifer. He was always 100% committed to helping her and guiding her. Mark worked the night shift for many years and when he would come home, guess who would wake up to have a glass of milk with her Dad, yes that's right, his daughter Jennifer. His love for his family was undeniable. The End . . . but never forgotten, and always with God! Mark was laid to rest on 2/24/2016. Mark was strong and tough. The only thing that could have taken his life, was a Lung Disease that has no known cause and no known cure. Mark was able to survive a Brain Aneurism, and a very serious blood infection, but this lung disease was powerful. Mark you will be greatly missed by everyone who knew and loved you. From his Wife, Cathy . . . "Mark Lee Lewis was the love of my life! I met Mark through a friend. After our first date at Engelwood speedway we saw each other every day. After dating for five months Mark asked me to marry me. It was the best 46 years of my life! He was so funny, his humor and charming kindness was so special, so unique. I just loved to listen to him talk about everything and anything thing. He loved me and his family so deeply. He would do anything he possibly could for us. I am thankful for the time we had together. I'm sure you are telling St Peter a joke or two by now. Be at peace my love, you have earned it. " From his Son, Adam . . . "Dad, you were everything in my life, and I know you know. We had a relationship so great and so special no words can describe. I am thankful for all of the great memories. I am thankful that you were my dad. I am thankful we talked every day as I drove home from work. I am thankful I had 40 years with you. Yes, the pain I feel is like nothing I could have imagined and my heart will be forever in pain, you taught me how to be strong, and you know that I will need all the strength in the world. I will miss you every day for the rest of my life. I promise I will honor you every day for the rest of my life. You were simply the best." From his Daughter, Jennifer . . . "Dad, you have always been there for me. I know that even now, you will continue to be with me. It was you, who gave me the will to fight when I was diagnosed with cancer at the age of 15. It was you, who reminded me I have the power to recover after my brain surgery in 2013. It was you, once again, who said I will beat this one more time when I was diagnosed with breast cancer. Last year with the recurrence of my breast cancer, we really got knocked off our feet, but it was you who looked me in the eye and said "You got this, you will beat it." It's amazing what the mind can do with the right attitude, it's even more amazing that one man, my dad, was able to give me the strength, the confidence, the will to continue the fight and to never let me give up. Dad you left me with the strength I need, you gave me the power to persevere and the undeniable ability that if you believe you will, you will! Dad, you live on in all of us because of how you lived when you were with us!" As a grandpa, he was Poppie or Pop's. My son Braden, the oldest of the grandchildren was very close to Poppie. They had the story book relationship. Twelve amazing years Braden had with Poppie. Braden Says: Hey Poppie what can I do without you, no one can replace you! You taught me to how to throw a baseball and how the game of football is played, I love you! I wish you were here right now but you are in a better place. I can't believe it happened so fast, "Caboom" your gone! I remember when you were here, now this is just crazy. All of us love you and thank you for your time and support and humor, companionship, pride, trust and courage and last of all your love. Love, Braden From Jacque Abrams . . . If I could have five more minutes with Big Mark I would ask for another one of his wonderful hugs. I would not have the time to tell him how much his friendship and support over the years has meant. How knowing he was a partner with David and so many of our special friends was a comfort to me and the other police wives. Big Mark always had their backs. His baby face might fool you...Mark was strong, agile, brave, smart and full of common sense...all you would want in a police officer and partner! I would not have the time to tell him how sweet and tender hearted he was. He especially cared for the underdogs and children. A little boy in Denver would call the police just so Mark would answer the call to give him a Life Saver or stick of gum. A girl in the Columbine library owes her life to his quick action. How many others did Big Mark save and help over the years? I would not remind him that I had a crush on him in seventh grade because he was so funny, or that our children cherished him and knew they were loved and supported by this special man. Or how very honored David and I have been to be Adam's Godparents. I would not take the time to tell him that no one knows my husband like he did...not even me. Or how I admired a friendship that started so early and lasted a lifetime. Or how these two would argue for years over nonsense like wind chill factors, vocabulary words and trivia. And send selfies to each other. So many things would have to go unsaid in the five minutes, but Big Mark already knows how we feel about him. But what I would do is ask him to retell my favorite story one more time about Mark and David when they walked Five Points early in their career. Mark ended up pinned to the roof inside the police car by the feet of a woman and could not get her to let him down. He was yelling to David to help, so David opened the back door, grabbed the woman by her hair and went flying back into the gathering crowd with her wig! Every time Mark told the story I would laugh until I cried! If I could hear Big Mark tell the story one more time, I am sure my tears would be mixed with sorrow. The story teller may be silenced, but his stories will go on. Just not in Mark Lewis fashion. In the final seconds of the five minutes I would get one last hug from this huggable friend. And the only way I would be able to let go is because without any doubt he would be heaven bound with our Lord Jesus. Big Mark, we love you and we will meet again!! From Dave Abrams . . . In Matthew we are told: Blessed are the Peacemakers, for they shall be called the sons of God. And are reassured that; Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. You've just heard some reflections on Mark's life, where his son Adam paints a vibrant and loving portrait of his father's servant spirit. Mark exemplified the fruits of that spirit, which the Apostle Paul aptly illustrates in Galatians; as love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. When I reflect on Mark's life I am struck by the axiom "tried and true". Mark was tested throughout his life, at times harshly. But he always came up smiling, with encouragement, and genuine caring for others. His quiet courage, and engaging sense of humor were two of his most enduring traits. He was the quintessential family man, and Mark always believed that "family endures". He weathered many hardships, and yet you knew he would always be there for you in any troubled times. His heart was as big as he was. To Mark, loyalty, honor, and valor were more than words - he lived them - his life embodied them. He set the standard for a true and loyal friend. A man who has many friends must be friendly. But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. Proverbs 18:24. Mark was such a friend. And so dear friend may God give light to your path, and clouds of sorrow never rest upon your journey. God's Grace will steel us, and his abiding Love will comfort us as we live through the loss of this special man. As to the life of this remarkable man who had such gift with children, and attended to all with a guardian's heart, a quote from Dr. Seuss seems appropriate, "Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened".

Reception:
Mc Callin Hall at St. Thomas More
8035 S. Quebec Street
Centennial, CO
80112

Service
Thursday, March 3, 2016
1:00 PM 3/3/2016 1:00:00 PM
St. Thomas More Catholic Church

8035 S. Quebec Street
Centennial, CO 80112

St. Thomas More Catholic Church
8035 S. Quebec Street Centennial 80112 CO
United States

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