Charles 'Chuck' Ellis Lewis, 75

Charles “Chuck” Ellis Lewis went home to be with the Lord on his 75th birthday, Friday, April 28, 2023. Chuck was born on April 28, 1948, to his parents, Ellis and Jeannette Lewis, in Two Harbors, Minn. Then known as “Charlie,” he was the next-to-youngest of six children: Ray, Bonnie, Linda, Terry, and Rex. Chuck was born to a logging family and lived in Grand Marais, Minn., on the North Shore of Lake Superior. Their family home was in Schroeder, on the “west end,” which was considered the wrong side of the tracks. The kids learned to be tough and earn their place in the community. He developed a strong work ethic as a kid, working with his dad and brothers in logging.

Chuck graduated from Grand Marais High School in 1966 and attended Ely Junior College in Ely, Minn., where he played football and earned an associate degree in Business. A close friend and teammate said Chuck “played big” and was fearless on the football field. Even though he described himself as a “runt” back in the day, he had a reputation for physically taking on anything and was described as “pound for pound” one of the toughest guys. The first words out of his mouth at his 50th class reunion were to reminisce about football.

Along with his dedication to his family and in other areas of his life, Chuck worked very hard in his career in finance and sales. At 20 years old, he was the manager of a finance company. One time, a customer was behind on payments and Chuck was sent out to repossess the chainsaw and pickup truck during the winter when the client was snowed in at logging camp. Chuck hiked in to collect the chainsaw and made arrangements to come back for the pickup in the spring, using his people skills to avoid conflict and get the job done. He later had his own business selling electronics and appliances. Upon moving to Wallace, Idaho, from Minnesota in 1993, Chuck began a career with Tri-State Distributors in Spokane, Wash., where he retired after 27 years.

Even after retirement, he never stopped working and always had projects. He loved working on his hobby ranch, making repairs to his big barn, fixing fences, caring for his horses, making home improvements, having barn sales, and enjoying people. Chuck was a very devoted and involved member of the American Lutheran Church in Kellogg, Idaho, promoting the Lord’s word. He loved his church family and enjoyed being a part of the choir, men’s group, and leadership. Chuck had a love for all people, showed kindness toward everyone without judgment, and was genuine by nature. He could see the good in everyone, and he treated them with kindness and respect.

A talented and joyful singer, Chuck loved performing karaoke with family and friends. He loved to take road trips with Judy to Mesa and Sedona, to Las Vegas to watch the Zags, and to California to visit family, as well as other getaways. He could always be counted on to drive long stretches safely. Chuck was a big sports fan and enjoyed watching his grandkids play and be involved in activities. He loved the Minnesota Twins and the Vikings, win or lose, and they would “almost always, almost win.”

Chuck loved family and was very proud of his children. He is survived by his wife of 21 years, Judy; daughter Charlene Moss of Osburn, Idaho; son Chad and Jodi Lewis of Susanville, Calif.; daughter Karla Ehrmantraut of Spokane; his step-daughters Lucia Gregory of Spokane, Heather and Jason Heidt of Wallace; grandchildren Trent Lewis, Connor Lewis, Marissa Pennington, Krystal Alleman, Eric Martin, Tayler Tsagakis, and Cyera Ehrmantraut, Everett Heidt and Owen Heidt; and his nine great-grandchildren: Zohe, Eden, Noah, Hyat, Tris, Saer, Takoda, Preston, and Hudsyn. He was preceded in death by his parents; siblings, Ray and Linda; and beloved daughter, Michelle Lewis.

A memorial service will be held on Wednesday, May 3, 2023, at 2 p.m. at the American Lutheran Church in Kellogg, ID. For those unable to attend in person, Chuck’s memorial service will be live-streamed via American Lutheran Church’s YouTube channel. An outdoor celebration of life will be held at Chuck’s hobby ranch on June 3, 2023. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to American Lutheran Church in Chuck’s name.

Memories of Church and messages of condolence may be shared with his family online at www.shoshonefuneralservice.com. Shoshone Funeral Services, Kellogg, is assisting the Lewis family with arrangements.