Andrew Wells Lewis ’65

Andrew Wells Lewis ’65 passed away on October 24, 2017. He was born in Savannah, Georgia. After graduating from Dartmouth he completed a master’s in history at the University of Chicago and received his Ph.D. in history in 1973 from Harvard University with a specialty in medieval France. He then took up the challenge of teaching at Missouri State University, where he remained for more than three decades. He was a professor emeritus at the time of his death. Andy was an acclaimed scholar. He received the John Nicholas Brown Prize in 1985 and a Macarthur Foundation genius grant from 1984 to 1989. There were many publications through the years, as well as awards for his contributions to the field of French history. His legacy as an academic will live on for generations. Andy’s interests included gardening, current events and all things historical. He was known for his wit, curiosity and kindness. A student noted, “Professor Lewis is a fantastic professor. I learned more in his classes than any other course I took in college. He was funny, fair and very helpful.” Another noted he was “a great professor in the old tradition.” Andy was fiercely devoted to and proud of his family, and perhaps his greatest joy was to spend time with his grandson. Andy is survived by his wife, Martha, daughters Katherine and Elizabeth, son-in-law Austin, grandson Alexander, brother Harris and brother-in-law John.