Donald Eugene Lewis

Donald Eugene Lewis passed away peacefully, leaving behind a life shaped by service, family, and an unshakeable competitive spirit on the tennis court.

Don was born on August 22, 1936, in Big Rapids, Michigan. He met and married Hazel Cardwell while on a double date with another couple when he was 20 and she was 18. This began a 69-year partnership that carried them through 22 years of moves, deployments, and adventures with the U.S. Air Force. Don first served as an air traffic controller and retired as a Senior Master Sergeant as NCOIC (Non-Commissioned Officer in Charge), touring several places in Europe and Asia.

Following his Air Force career, Don didn’t slow down but changed direction. He spent many years in life insurance, a natural fit for a man who loved people and could talk to anyone. That gift for conversation later led him into prepaid legal services, where he kept chatting with people well into his later years.

If you knew Don, you knew tennis was where his heart lived. He played competitively well into his mid-80s, a fact that surprised and slightly intimidated anyone who underestimated him on the court.

Above all, Don was a family man. He is survived by his wife, Hazel; his son Eric and Eric’s wife Karen; his daughter Jori Solomon and her husband Jeffrey; granddaughters Sabrina Carrera and Chaeli Solomon; and grandsons Corey and Ryan Lewis. He was privileged to have three great-grandchildren: Jessica, Colin, and Caden. He is also survived by his sister Gloria Wilkes, and her son, his nephew Gregory Wilkes, as well as his cousin Barbara Wade. He was preceded in death by his son Sean Lewis.

Don’s love and guidance extended beyond his immediate family. His niece Terri Moton held a special place in his heart, and over the years he became one of the most consistent and positive male figures in her life. Terri looked to him for encouragement, support, and wisdom and considered him a steady presence she could always count on. He loved her like a daughter, and she will always carry the impact of his kindness and direction.

Don parented all of his grandchildren through the years, always present, always invested. He shared a special bond with his granddaughter Chaeli. When she left for college, they talked every day, a habit that never broke until he got sick. Her nickname for him, “Player Pimp,” evolved over the years into “Pimpa,” and became a running joke amongst family and friends, and was a term of pure affection that stuck for good. Even in his final days, the first question he’d ask any family member who came to visit was whether they’d talked to Chaeli.

Don’s warmth wasn’t reserved for family alone. He had a gift for making everyone feel like they belonged. When Chaeli found her people at school, including her roommates in Oregon, Don talked to all the girls as though he’d known them for years, even before meeting them. They adopted him back, giving him the nickname “Rattfink.” He was, in every sense, everybody’s grandpa.

• One of our family’s favorite memories came as we celebrated Don’s 75th birthday. Unknown to him, we planned a surprise party, the first birthday party he had ever had. When he walked into a room filled with family and friends gathered to celebrate him, he was overwhelmed with emotion. It wasn’t the presents or decorations that moved him but knowing the people he loved had gone to great lengths to honor him. For someone who spent a lifetime serving others, seeing that love returned was a moment our family will never forget.

Don will be remembered for his discipline, his warmth, his love of conversation, and his determination to return every tennis ball well into his 80s.

A service will be held on August 13, 2026, at 11:00 AM at Kyle’s Temple, 2940 42nd St, Sacramento, CA 95817. A military burial will take place the next day, August 14, 2026, at 11:30 AM at Sacramento Valley National Cemetery, 5810 Midway Rd, Dixon, CA 95620.