Eugene Edward "Gene" Lewis, age 76, passed away on February 4, 2026, at Perimeter Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Dunwoody, Georgia, due to congestive heart failure.

Gene was the youngest of twin sons born on January 23, 1950, in Burke County, Georgia to Idella Lewis Madison and Robert Blakeney. He moved to St. Petersburg, Florida at age 15 and graduated from Lakewood High School and Eckerd College.

Gene was employed at Westinghouse for many years. He became Regional Manager with posts in Germany, San Francisco, Chicago, Washington, D.C., North Carolina and Philadelphia. In 1993, Gene relocated to Atlanta, Georgia, where he embarked on a new chapter of his life. Partnering with his friend Percy Jones, he became self-employed in the bottled water business.

Gene's move to Atlanta also marked the beginning of a deep connection with St. John's Lutheran Church. His faith played a central role in shaping his values and actions. Gene was involved with numerous service actions including Intown Community Pantry, Kairos Outside Prison Ministry and volunteer work with foster children.  In January 2019, he was awarded the 10th annual Lutheran MLK Day Service Award—a testament to the impact of his compassionate efforts.

Gene loved spending time with family and reminiscing about growing up in Augusta, Georgia with his mother, aunts and uncles and many cousins. He enjoyed bringing the family together for Lewis Family Reunions. He dearly loved his faithful golden retriever Shad who was often his travel companion.

Gene was preceded in death by his twin brother, John Robert Lewis, and his sister, Julia Yvonne Lewis. He is survived by his two sons, Shawn Benjamin and Joshua Love; and by his beloved grandchild, Laylen Renae Lewis-Love.

A man of quiet strength and unwavering purpose, Gene leaves behind a legacy rooted in service and perseverance. May his memory bring comfort to those who knew him and continue to inspire acts of kindness.

A Celebration of Life Service will be held on February 21, 2026, from 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM at St. John's Lutheran Church, 1410 Ponce De Leon Ave, Northeast, Atlanta, GA 30307. A reception will be held at the church after the service.

Dr. Charles Winfred Fox II passed away at home in Lindsborg, Kansas, at 1:00 a.m. on Monday, March 16, 2026.  Charles was born in 1962 in Arkansas City, Kansas, to Patsy and Charles Fox, and grew up in California and Texas with his sister Patty and brother James. 

Charles met his wife, Laura Crawley, in a college poetry class at the University of Texas at Austin. That meeting led to a long and happy marriage full of love and mutual support. Raised in the Southern Baptist tradition, Charles joined the Lutheran church soon after marrying Laura. He was deeply influenced by the words of Lutheran philosopher and theologian Søren Kierkegaard: “The leap of faith is not a leap into the dark, but a leap into the light.” Charles understood that leap as originating in trust that faith must be lived, not merely discussed. In this, his life also reflected the call of Jesus in Matthew 25 to care for the hungry, the stranger, the vulnerable, and the forgotten. For Charles, faith meant showing up for people with curiosity and conviction, and putting love into practice.

That grounding shaped the whole of his life. Open-hearted and thoughtful, Charles cared deeply about justice and believed in the power of words and ideas to move people toward truth and toward one another. He loved laughter, welcomed conversation, and built community wherever he went. Charles brought both intellect and feeling to the way he lived, surrounding himself with books, movies, music, and creative work. He enjoyed card games and word games, and played Wordle every day with his wife. He was funny and loved practical jokes. A former gymnast, fencer, baseball player, and weightlifter, he was also strong and disciplined.

Charles dreamed of becoming a father and rejoiced at the births of James and Laurel, whom he nicknamed Jake and Katie. He and Laura raised their children with loving care, always encouraging curiosity, faith, and service. He was deeply proud of the adults they have become and spoke with them often. Jake and Katie will miss his voice, his strong hugs, and his rock-solid, steadfast love.

Charles earned his Master of Fine Arts in Poetry from George Mason University and his Ph.D. in Communications: Moving Images Studies from Georgia State University. He retired from Perimeter College at Georgia State University in 2022 after 26 years of teaching English, where he also served as Department Chair of English and Associate Dean of Student Success. He was a gifted teacher who helped students develop their own voice and trust their own ideas. One of Charles’s proudest professional accomplishments was leading the GSU Prison Education Project, which made college possible for incarcerated individuals. One of his final tasks before retirement was presiding over the GSUPEP graduation ceremony.

Retirement did not slow his sense of purpose. Charles pursued artistic, scholarly, and service projects with energy and joy. He taught part-time at Bethany College in Lindsborg, Kansas, where his wife, Dr. Laura Crawley, serves as President. He served on the Lindsborg Arts Council, sang in the Messiah Lutheran Church choir where he also played drums and guitar, and played ukelele with the Front Porch Pickers. He and his writing partner had published articles in film theory, and he had presented his scholarly work at professional conferences. Recently he was rehearsing to sing in the 145th performance of the Messiah at Bethany College and had begun serving as a volunteer assistant coach for the Bethany men’s soccer team.

Charles is survived by his beloved wife of 32 years, Dr. Laura Crawley, and their two children, James Kay Fox and Laurel Katherine Fox; his mother, Patsy Fox; his brother, James Fox, James’s wife, Sretna, and their daughter, Daria. He will be remembered as a loving husband and father and a faithful friend and teacher. Here, in the end, his life points us back to the truth he trusted: that faith is lived by taking the leap, not into darkness, but into the light. We know he is now comforted in the presence of that Light.

A service to celebrate the life of Charles W. Fox will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, May 23 at St. John’s Lutheran Church, 1410 Ponce de Leon Ave. NE Atlanta, GA 30307 with a reception to follow.

Charles's family requests that, instead of flowers, please consider memorial gifts to:  St. John’s Lutheran Church (Atlanta) which can be made virtually on the website (www.stjohnsatlanta.org) or by mailing a check to 1410 Ponce de Leon Ave. NE Atlanta, GA 30307.

March 11, 1941 - June 10, 2026

Carolyn was a beloved mother, sister, aunt, friend, and member of St. John’s Lutheran Church. A life-long learner, Carolyn sought to engage with people from all walks of life as friends and neighbors, expanding her worldview and understanding in ways that upheld the love of God and diversity of God’s creation. She was fond of traveling, sharing stories, and always brought a keen sense of humor everywhere she went!

Perhaps her greatest joy was being a mother and grandmother. Her daughter Gwen and son Andrew were the light of her life and she was so proud of each accomplishment they and their children achieved. She also looked forward to her weekly phone calls with her sisters (who live all across the world).

Carolyn is buried in the St. John’s memorial garden and her legacy as a member of our congregation will live on each time we offer love, grace, and compassion in Christ’s name.