CWU Remembers Gary Lewis

September 23, 2003

ELLENSBURG, Wash.-- Dr. Gary A. Lewis, former dean of library and media services and professor of librarianship at Central Washington University, passed away Saturday, Sept. 20, at his Ellensburg home with his family at his side.

For the past several months, Lewis, 56, had been battling cancer.

He joined the university's administration on Aug. 12, 1991, coming from North Adams (Massachusetts) State College, where he was director of library and media services.

Lewis was said to be instrumental in the development of CWU's online catalog and was also supportive of identifying and implementing systems to provide library and information access to students and faculty at Central's six university centers.

In addition, he was an active contributor to statewide efforts to plan and implement Washington's Cooperative Library Project. The project resulted in the implementation of CASCADE, a joint online library catalog and resource-sharing system among the libraries of Washington's six public institutions of higher education.

A frequently published author, Lewis was also a published poet, screenplay author, and songwriter and performer, most recently with his Ellensburg-based band "Greywolf."

Lewis earned his bachelor of arts degree in sociology at Ohio University in 1969, master of library science degree from Western Michigan University in 1974, and doctor of education degree from Virginia Tech in 1985.

Services for Lewis will be held Sunday, Sept. 28, at 2 p.m. at the Ellensburg First United Methodist Church, 210 N. Ruby St.