John H. Lewis ’51
John H. Lewis ’51—Colorado College Geology professor, 60-year resident of Colorado Springs, woodworker, musician, and true Renaissance man—died in Seattle on August 2, 2018. John came to Dartmouth from the Kent School, where he excelled in football, hockey, and crew; his crew won the Thames Cup at the Henley Regatta in 1947. At Dartmouth he was active in crew and hockey and as a member of Delta Tau Delta. He flunked out and was drafted into the U.S. Army, serving in Germany as a medic and member of the Army ski team. He later graduated from Allegheny College and earned a Ph.D. in Geology at the University of Colorado. He taught geology at Colorado College from 1958 to 1981, inspiring countless students with his dynamic and exuberant style. In 1968 John was selected by the National Science Foundation to help map a section of the Fosdick Mountains in Antarctica. A nearby series of outcrops (Lewis Rocks) was named for him. After his retirement John focused his sights on a new career in fine woodworking. He was a founding member of the Woodworkers Guild of Colorado Springs and helped produce annual shows that highlighted the work done by craftsmen and women all along the Front Range. Flying was another interest; he earned his pilot’s license at a young age and found it a lifelong fascination. Family and friends describe John as hard-working, cantankerous, loving, iconoclastic, and ingenious. John is survived by his brother, sister, four children, seven grandchildren, and one great-grandchild.
