Mary Gratia Lewis
November 4, 1929 – January 29, 2019
Mary Gratia Abshire Lewis, a San Antonio, Texas, resident, died Monday, Jan. 21, 2019, at the age of 89. She was a loving and generous wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother whose strong faith in God provided the foundation for her lifelong devotion to family.
Born Nov. 4, 1929, in Gueydan, to Romauld Abshire and Lillian Suire Abshire, Mary was the last survivor of four children, which included Robert Abshire, John Abshire, and Anne Abshire Williams. Mary was raised throughout Louisiana and East Texas, where her father worked the oil fields as a prospector.
She graduated from Our Lady of the Lake University in San Antonio with a business degree and was a ticket agent for Continental Airlines in San Antonio when she met John Marion Lewis Jr. They were married on May 12, 1956.
John Lewis’ career in the Air Force took the family to France, California and then to San Antonio, where they settled in 1974 and where Mary had lived ever since.
As the wife of an Air Force major, Mary was involved in the officers’ wives club. She was also an occasional substitute teacher, a member of the Republican Women’s club, a volunteer with the Marine Corp Auxiliary League, and taught Sunday school for many years.
Maj. Lewis died June 5, 2012.
A devout Catholic, Mary devoted her life to raising and nurturing her family. She is survived by four children, Mary Christina Lewis, John M. Lewis III, Diana M. Lewis, and Rachel Anne Larsen; seven grandchildren, and one great grandchild.
A rosary will be said at 7 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 7, at Porter Loring Mortuary North, 2102 N. Loop 1604 East, San Antonio, Texas.
A Mass will be said on Friday, Feb. 8, at 10 a.m. at St. Anthony de Padua Catholic Church, 102 Lorenz Road, San Antonio, Texas, followed by interment in Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery at 11:30 a.m.
You are invited to sign the Guestbook at www.porterloring.com.
Porter Loring Mortuary North, 2102 N. Loop 1604 East, San Antonio, Texas, (210) 495-8221, is in charge of arrangements.