One of Enterprise’s community leaders dies in crash

By Carole Brand

Published: August 1, 2008

Joan King Lewis, 69, of Enterprise served as one of the city’s top community leaders, being involved in the Pilot Club, Coffee County Relay for Life, and many organizations throughout Enterprise.

The Florida Highway Patrol reported that Lewis died in a one-vehicle accident Thursday afternoon about 3 miles south of Vernon, Fla.
Both Lewis and her husband, Ray Maxwell Lewis, 72, of Enterprise, were traveling north on Florida State Road 79 when the accident occurred.
According to the FHP, the Lewis’ were in a 1998 Honda Accord when the vehicle went off the road to the right, hit a concrete culvert, overturned and came to rest on its roof.

The driver, Ray Lewis, had to be extricated from the vehicle using the Jaws of Life and was transported to Doctors Memorial Hospital in Bonifay, Fla. where he was treated for minor injuries.

Joan Lewis was pronounced dead on the scene by Washington County Emergency Medical Services.
The FHP reported that both were wearing seatbelts at the time of the accident.

The Washington County Sheriff’s Department, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission, along with fire departments from Vernon and Ebro, assisted the FHP at the scene of the crash.

Lewis was a member of the Pilot Club of Enterprise and served as president. Tuesday evening, Lewis was to be installed in her third term as president.

Sharon Hunt of Enterprise said Lewis had asked her to participate in the installation ceremony.

“Whenever she’s been, she has touched the lives of people,” Hunt said. “She was such an involved person and she meant a lot to the whole community of Enterprise. Joan was always so vibrant and did everything to the very best. We have truly lost a great person.”

Friends who have known Lewis made phone calls Friday to The Enterprise Ledger, speaking of Lewis with the utmost fondest, but still in shock from her death.

“I don’t see anyone taking her place,” friend Ricky Adams said. “She was such a tireless worker with the Enterprise City Cemetery Association and everything I’ve ever known her to do, she’s done first-rate.”

Charlene Goolsby said she has known Ray and Joan for many years.

“Ray is a member of our Sunrise Rotary Club, and Joan and him both volunteered at the Relay for Life Survivor’s breakfast this past May,” she said. “Even though Joan’s mother had just passed away the night before, she still served the cancer survivor’s breakfast that next morning. I know that when Joan committed herself to something, she did it with her whole heart. They both volunteered for so many years with the Relay.”

Goolsby said Joan was also an instrumental part of the Sunrise Rotary Club’s annual fund raiser for the Coffee County Habitat for Humanity.
“When the club had its fundraiser, they both gathered so many great items from businesses and individuals to auction off. Joan was a wonderful person.”

Lewis was a member of Hillcrest Baptist Church in Enterprise and was employed as a media specialist at Enterprise High School, retiring 10 years ago in July 1998.

“Joan was much-loved in this community,” Adams said. “There was nothing that she did that wasn’t of the highest quality. This is someone who is going to be missed very, very much.”

Funeral services for Joan Lewis was not released as of press time late Friday.