June 25, 1925 - January 17, 2022
—A dedicated fireman—
Lloyd North Lewis (Bud) died at his home in Rocky Hill on January 17.
Bud was born on June 25, 1925 in Bridgeton. He resided in Ligonier, PA; Highland Park, and Rocky Hill. Bud left high school in his senior year to enlist in the Army Air Corp. He earned an honorary diploma from Highland Park High School.
In the service, he trained to be a flight engineer on a Boeing B-29 Superfortress, an American four-engined propeller-driven heavy bomber. The war ended before he was sent overseas, but he knew that airplane and its systems better than anybody.
Bud met the love of his life on a failed double date in 1952. Being a gentleman, he walked his friend’s date to the door and when he looked into Hilde’s big brown eyes, he knew he was in trouble. He’d been in trouble ever since. They were married in 1955 at the Highland Park Reformed church. “Honey Bunny” and “Teddy Bear” celebrated their 67th wedding Anniversary on May 1.
Hilde and Bud moved to Rocky Hill in 1957. They were active within the community, at the First Reformed Church of Rocky Hill, and the Rocky Hill Hook & Ladder Co #1. In April 2010, Hilde and Bud were issued a certificate of recognition by the synod of the mid Atlantic of the Reformed Church of America.
Bud Joined the Rocky Hill Hook & Ladder Co #1 in 1957 and was chief from 1966 to 1967. At the fire station his nickname was “Smokey." He and a fellow firefighter founded the Somerset County Fire Academy. He was was the first chairman, was one of the original instructors and ran the fire school for many years. In 1973 he was named fireman of the year for his many years of service. In March of 1999 Lloyd (Bud) Lewis was recognized by the Somerset County Fireman's Association for his lifetime dedication to the education of the firefighters of Somerset County. In 2017 he was again honored by the academy during the graduation ceremony.
Bud was a pioneer in the HVAC industry and installed some of the first air conditioners in the area to prominent clientele. He also was active with the Refrigeration Service Engineers Society (RSES).
Bud loved the outdoors and spent every summer in the Adirondacks, where he had a rustic log cabin that he improved over the years. He shared his passion for the outdoors with his wife, his three sons, and ten “Gremlin” grandchildren. He taught them all the finer arts of contemplation, whitling, stacking wood “correctly," building a cooking fire, and tinkering in the workshop. The family has many fond memories of fishing on the lake, Saturday breakfast every day, “Toast-O-Lator” toast with Oma’s homemade jelly, crumb buns on Sunday, tractor rides, grilling on an open fire, whisky sours, late night Monopoly, and making s'mores.
Bud instilled in his family the value of hard work, service to church and community, love of family, humor, how to An-Nun-See-Ate, and a firm handshake.
He is survived by his loving wife Hilde “Burger," his three sons: Robert (Jan), Fred, David (Jan Lyn) and 10 grandchildren: Caitlin, Michael, Clarke, Brandon, Amy, Lloyd, Jenna-Kim, Cole, John, and Corynn. He is predeceased by his parents: Lloyd North and Alice Mildred “Clarke,” and his two sisters: Mary Jane Clements and Joanne Clarke Van der Veer.
A memorial service will be planned in the future. Memorial donations are requested to the Rocky Hill Hook & Ladder Co #1, The Rocky Hill Rescue Squad, or the First Reformed Church of Blawenburg.
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