Ronald J. LEWIS

Ronald J. LEWIS of Mackinaw City passed away Nov. 7, 2000, at Northern Michigan Hospital in Petoskey after a long battle with leukemia. He was 72.

Dr. LEWIS was born Oct. 24, 1928, in Windsor, Ontario, Canada, to Captain Andrew LEWIS and Alberta Merle LAINGO.

On Oct. 6, 1950, he married Margaret Eleanor JOKI.

He received his undergraduate degree from Wayne State University in Detroit and an accounting Ph.D. from Michigan State University. During his career, he taught accounting at Hartwick College in Oneonta, N.Y., Central Michigan University, Florida International University and Florida Atlantic University. He was also the first acting dean of business at Northern Michigan University, the academic vice president at Tri-State University in Angola, Ind., and the first president of Michiana College of Commerce in South Bend, Ind.

An accomplished author, he wrote a number of accounting articles and textbooks while teaching. Upon his retirement from Central Michigan University in 1991, he moved to Mackinaw City and began a new career as an author of murder mysteries. Among his novels, all based in the Mackinac area, were the regional best seller “Murder in Mackinac,” “Terror at the Soo Locks” and “Mackinaw-Honolulu Connection.” He also contributed numerous articles to local newspapers.

Survivors include his wife, Margaret; three sons, Jeffrey of Phoenix, Ariz., Randy of Okemos, and Gary of Mount Pleasant; and eight grandchildren.

Friends may call beginning at 11 a.m. Friday, Nov. 10, at the Mackinaw City Bible Church, 308 W. Central Ave., Mackinaw City. Funeral service will begin at 1 p.m. at the church.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the Mackinaw City Bible Church, where he and Margaret were members.

Arrangements were handled by the Nordman Funeral Home in Cheboygan.

Transcribed from the web edition of the "Petoskey News-Review ", a newspaper serving the Emmet Co., MI area.