John M. Lewis

John Murray Lewis, a longtime resident of Walpole, died unexpectedly on Monday, July 27,2026 at the Salem Hospital in Salem, Massachusetts.  He was 79. John was born October 14, 1946 in St. Stephens, New Brunswick, Canada, the son of Walter Keene and Ruth Jaynes (Beckett) Lewis. John's family moved to Calais Maine and then to Portland, Maine when he was a young child.  He graduated from Deering High School in Portland in 1966 and a year later he was inducted into the US Army where he spent two years as a cook until his honorable discharge in 1969. John graduated from Southern Maine Vocational-Technical Institute in 1970 where he studied refrigeration and air conditioning, and he earned his oil burner license in 1972. His HVAC career started at Baystate, progressed to Connair and Balco, and ended at Emcor where he retired in 2012.  John's knowledge of mechanical systems was legendary as was his ability to diagnose the toughest problems.  He was a member of the Pipefitters Union Local 537 for 50 years.  He was a member of the First Baptist Church of Westwood where he had served on the Board of Trustees and lent his skills to installing air conditioning in the sanctuary and in the reception room, installing a kitchenette in the link, and building changing rooms in the basement for baptismal candidates.  John cooked Easter breakfast for the church members for over 30 years and quietly expressed his generosity by cooking dinners for shut-ins and bringing food to his friends.  He was an avid photographer, ever ready to show you the latest pictures he took, and was a NASCAR fan, almost never missing a race.  John loved to travel the country in his trailer and later his fifth wheel.  He had visited 47 states but particularly enjoyed his multiple trips to Alaska where he adopted Huskies which he named Juneau and Denali.  John is survived by his wife of 39 years, Wendy J. (Badger) Lewis; his son, Jay A. Lewis, and his wife Meghan, of Walpole; his daughter Jessica Matthews, and her husband Tim, of Wrentham; and his two grandchildren, John Philip and George Allen Matthews.  John also leaves his twin brother Walter "Abe" Lewis, and his wife Andrea, of Middlesex, Vermont, and his sister Anne Dyer of Dunedin, Florida; as well as many nieces and nephews.  John was predeceased by his brother C. Michael Lewis, and is survived by Michael's wife Mary Hart of South Portland, Maine.  Visiting hours will be held Friday, August 7th, 2026 from 4 to 8 pm at the Folsom Funeral Home, 649 High Street, Westwood.  Relatives and friends are invited to attend his funeral Saturday, August 8th at 10 am at the First Baptist Church of Westwood.  In lieu of flowers donations to the Memorial Fund of the First Baptist Church, 808 High Street, Westwood, MA 02090 would be appreciated.