Lewis, Iris A.

In Memorium Iris Adams Lewis Iris Adams Lewis was born to John Quincy and Maritza Amos Adams in Bowling Green, Kentucky, November 13, 1924. The oldest of nine children and the first grandchild born to the Adams and Amos families, Iris was the apple of her families’ eye, as well as, the one expected to excel, which she did. From a very early age, Iris loved books and knew she wanted to be writer someday.  As a young writer in training, Iris would interview and write about local celebrities and events. After graduating from Adairville High School, Iris came to Dallas to live with her grandparents while studying journalism at SMU.  While at SMU, she was named one of the top five campus beauties and worked her way through school as a photographer’s portrait model.  She started her writing and advertising career with the Glenn Advertising Agency while she was still in school.  After graduation with a BA in Journalism, she went to work for the Ted Workman Advertising Agency.  During her twenty-year tenure, she became account executive and a member of the board of directors as trustee of the firm’s employee profit sharing trust.  Over her career, Iris was the recipient of several industry awards that included:  Who’s Who of American Women for 2 years (1964-65 and 1966-67); was named Advertising Woman of the Year by Dallas Advertising League in 1968; and was one of six recipients who received the 1971Theta Sigma Phi annual Matrix Award. In 1972, Iris met the love of her life, Jim Lewis.  They were married and she gave up her professional career to begin a new chapter in her life as his companion and wife.  Together, they travelled, became gourmet cooks, entertained friends and family, as well as, explored different hobbies like photography, genealogy and welding.  Iris even learned how to hunt and clean deer.  A life-long avid reader and learner, Iris got her love of history from her father, so it was only natural that she should be the one to research the Adams history and create a complete memoir of the Adams genealogy.  In addition to all of her other interests, she loved animals (especially her dogs), gardening, horseback riding, photography and collecting art. Iris was extremely fond of her large extended family of parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, siblings, nieces, nephews and cousins.  Iris is survived by her husband, James L. Lewis, Jr., her three sisters, Carol McElwain, Joann Nelson and Sandra Gayle Walton and her brother, Mark Adams.  Predeceased brothers include: James Adams, Neil Adams, Johnny Adams and Dick Adams.  She is also survived by three stepdaughters, Sylvia Williams, Marilynn Van Cleave and Jamie Running and their respective husbands, Scot Williams, Van Van Cleave and Peter Running, 8 grandchildren and 6 great grandchildren. A memorial service will be held at University Park United Methodist Church, 4024 Caruth Blvd. Dallas, TX 75225 on Saturday, January 18, 2014 at 11:00 am. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the SPCA www.spca.org or the American Heart Association www.heart.org .   You can view James’ obituary here .