Margaret Ann (Jerry) Lewis, 89, of New Haven, Conn., went to be with her heavenly Father on Friday, Nov. 1, 2024 with her loving son, Terry Lewis, by her side. She is the daughter of Moses and Adell (Wiles) Jerry, born on Sept. 7, 1935 in Darlington, South Carolina.
Margaret spent her school years in the Darlington County School system and graduated from Mayo High School. While in high school, she played point guard for her favorite sport, the girls’ basketball team. She was only able to play one season because she had to go to work to help her parents support the family. This led her to working at a local funeral home where she worked in various capacities including embalming bodies. After graduating high school and with her aunts accompanying her, she traveled to Connecticut in 1959, went back to Darlington and finally settled in New Haven in 1961. At this time, she found a job working in a Stamford, Conn., factory as a seamstress.
Margaret loved having fun with family and friends. She found happiness by regularly visiting her family back home in Darlington. The highlights of her trips were taking her children to visit and as always, enjoying that precious quality time with her father.
She enjoyed cooking and baking for others, but most importantly, she loved cooking and baking for her children. They enjoyed every morsel of it. Whenever a neighbor was in need of food, she would not hesitate to give. If a neighbor needed some money, she was willing to support them as well. Her compassion for people extended as far as lending her car to family and very close friends and her compassion often found her caring for the sick.
Margaret was a hard worker. Providing for her family was always her top priority. She made her living by working at Colt Manufacturing and Winchester Manufacturing, both gun-making factories in New Haven until these two companies merged. As a single parent, Margaret knew that she needed to make a better living for her daughter and sons. She was able to find a job working at Pratt and Whitney and for the next 25 years, was blessed to continue working and retire from there in the late 1990s.
Margaret was always looking for ways to support her family and make ends meet. It was during those times she volunteered to help the sick, word of mouth of how well she helped those led to opportunities of getting paid for her care. She continued in this work until she couldn’t physically do it anymore.
During her retirement, Margaret started traveling. She was always down for a road trip. Whether it be with her friends or on her own. There wasn’t a highway that she did not know. One dream trip of hers took her and some close friends to Hawaii. She commented as to how much she loved that vacation and reminisced on running into a family member stationed in the U.S. Army.
Margaret would always greet family and friends in her sweet, soft tone. Her signature greeting would be, “Hi love!” This greeting always brought smiles to those who were fortunate to hear it and blessed to receive it. Whenever she heard good news, her response, in that same sweet, soft tone would be, “Wonderful!”
Margaret had a love of music. Her favorite artists were Marvin Gaye, Sam Cooke, Luther Vandross and her all-time favorite, Gerald Levert. She would often recall seeing him in concert. As he was singing, he came to her table, he hit a high note and she grabbed him and would not let go. She did not listen to the many attempts from those around her to let him go. He sang a few more bars to her and was eventually able to free himself and continue the show! From that moment on, Gerald gained a super fan!
Margaret was passionate about her civic duty to vote. She took pride in keeping her legacy to her freedom to vote and was especially happy to vote for the first Black president, Barack Obama, in 2008. Her very last opportunity to vote came with this election. Unable to physically go to her polling location, she was adamant about getting her absentee ballot and casting her vote for Kamala Harris.
Margaret is predeceased by her parents Adell Jerry and Moses Jerry; two brothers, Roosevelt Jerry and Eddie Boston; one sister, Josephine Bull and a beloved daughter, Sandra Denise Sheffield.
Margaret is survived by her four sons, Kevin Lewis, Meriden, Connecticut, Terry (Latarsha) Lewis, Bristol, Connecticut, Robby Lewis, East Haven, Connecticut, and Darrow Lewis, New Haven, Connecticut; 16 grandchildren, Tanaia Sheffield, Travis Sheffeild, Jennifer Lewis Adeniran, Kathryn Palmer Thomas, Treasuana Lewis, Jordan Lewis, Tamara DeBerry, Terrell Lewis, Terry Lewis, II, Delisha Lewis, Trey Cousins, Michael Hasty, Ashley Lewis, Laquitda Perkins, Denise Lewis Ketto and Krista Lewis; 12 great-grandchildren, Noah Quaye, Mayah Adeniran, Leroy DeBerry, III, Aniya DeBerry, Terry Lewis, III, Ezrah Lewis, Pierce Lewis, Jeremiah Dawson, Dakota Cousins, Taylor Cousins, Naomi Cousins and Landon’Kyle Moore; and a very dear friend, Ollie Ferrar.
A celebration of her life will take place Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. at Christian Love Center, 154 Derby Ave., New Haven, CT 06511. Friends may call Tuesday at the church from 10:00 – 11:00 a.m. Interment will be at Beaverdale Memorial Park, New Haven, CT. Services by Howard K. Hill Funeral Services, 1287 Chapel St., New Haven, CT 06511. To leave a message of comfort for the Lewis family, please visit, www.hkhfuneralservices.com