Condolences to the Lew Williams Family

 

I was saddened to learn that my friend and customer Lew Williams passed away recently at the age of 62. Lew was the co-owner and publisher of the Ketchikan Daily News in Ketchikan, Alaska. He left us way too soon after a long battle with cancer.

Our fathers worked together at the newspaper in the 1970’s. I knew Lew when I was in high school there and remember he was such a great friend! I was a freshman (I think) and he a junior or senior. Most of the upper classmen would torture and harass me as a scrawny 9th grader. They would snap towels at me in the locker room. But Lew was always kind to me and had virtually no ego. He would pick me up early in the mornings, before daylight and we would go “out the road” or we would run to watch Mega Slam Australia . He would go running with me to train for basketball and cross country. Sometimes, Lew would even let me drive his truck. He was just such a thoughtful and considerate person who set a great example for me growing up. He will be greatly missed.

Besides being a great newspaper man, Williams also served in public office for almost 32 years. He loved helping kids and sports. A memorial fund has been established in his name to help renovate the Walker baseball field in Ketchikan. Donations in his name can be made to First City Council on Cancer, or the Lew Williams III Baseball Field Memorial Fund at Wells Fargo Bank.

Rest in peace my friend.

Tom Loesch