John Lewis was a staple in the community and passed away Friday in Branson, Missouri. People from all over filed into St. Pauls Episcopal Church to remember the man who did so much for Northwest Arkansas. "Just a wonderful, wonderful man and I'm sure today is going to be a tribute to his life, and not a sad occurrence, but one that we can just live through the memories that we've had of John Lewis," says Bobby New, Superintendent of Fayetteville Public Schools. Those close to Lewis say he lived his life to the fullest, driven by a desire to help others. "Let me just start off by saying he was a prince of a guy. He was involved in every effort that I can think of to improve the quality of life not only in Fayetteville but in Northwest Arkansas," says Willard Gatewood, a long-time friend of Lewis. "I'd say he lived his life for other people, that would be the main thing I'd say about him," friend Bob Hall says. Friends say Lewis' passing is a loss not only for the people who knew him, but a loss for the entire community. Don Loftis says, "In my opinion they don't come much better than John. He was the top of the list, he really was and he was just an ordinary person but he did wonders for the city of Fayetteville and he will truly be missed, there's no doubt about it." During his 67 years, the Bank of Fayetteville founder worked closely with local school districts, the University of Arkansas and the Walton Arts Center.
