Obituary: Clifton Reginald “Reg” Lewis, 80, of Guilford

Obituary courtesy of Guilford Funeral Home:

Clifton Reginald “Reg” Lewis died at his home on Saturday August 20, 2022, after a brief illness. He was 80 years old. The son of the late Clifton Roscoe Lewis and Eleanor Mitchell Lewis, Reg was born on August 1st, 1942 and grew up in Tullahoma, TN.

Reg enjoyed a very active upbringing, including riding his motorcycles, fishing with his father in the lakes around Middle Tennessee, and earning the rank of Eagle Scout.

Reg attended the University of Tennessee - Knoxville, where he was a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity, earning both a Bachelor’s of Science degree and an ROTC Commission. After graduation, Reg served in Korea as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army Artillery. After an honorable discharge from the Army, Reg returned to UT - Knoxville to pursue graduate studies and it was then that he met his wife Anne Weatherly Caudill, (also a UT - Knoxville graduate) who was born and grew up in Elizabethton, TN. Reg earned his Master’s degree in Finance/Economics and was married in 1967, after which Reg and Anne moved to Connecticut to start their lives together. Reg had a successful career in Finance working for Winchester Repeating Arms in New Haven, CT, the Olin Ski Company in Middletown, CT, in various business consulting capacities in Connecticut, and finally with Olin Chemicals in Rochester, NY.

Upon retirement, Reg became an avid reader, an accomplished painter in water-colors, and was an active walker long before the Pandemic made it cool. He was a devoted family man who cherished his wife, and deeply loved his children. Reg always enjoyed hearing and embracing the various and interesting stories from his children, grandchildren, nieces, and nephews about whatever new, weird or exciting things were happening. Reg was easily likable. He was a gentle man. His even temperateness and smile always made those around him comfortable. Reg had a very good economy for words and spoke when there was something to say. Reg was known to use unique expressions and phrases that, when seen or heard, would perfectly capture the sentiment or idea being conveyed. He carried himself with grace, dignity, intelligence, and composure.

Reg and Anne were married for 51 years before her passing in 2019. Reg is survived by his children, Mitchell Armstrong Lewis and Carrie Weatherly Lewis Harris. Also surviving are a sister, Katherine “Kay” Lewis Kennedy, sisters-in-law: Frances Roesel Caudill, Lucy Caudill Austin, a son-in-law Richard Preston Harris, and cousins: Carolyn Lewis Cherry, Pamela Ann Mott, Candace Mott McMaster, and Alexander Mitchell Mott. Grandchildren are Cole Dalton, Claudia Catherine and Rachel Anne Harris. Other survivors include numerous nieces, and nephews. Reg will be dearly missed.

Services are not yet determined. The family suggests any donations that may be made in Reg’s name be directed to the Guilford Free Library, 67 Park Street, Guilford, CT. 06437.