Richard R. Lewis; Insurance Agent, Retired Firefighter

Richard R. Lewis, a longtime Lake Hughes resident noted for his community involvement, has died in Lancaster.

He was 70.

The 31-year veteran of the Los Angeles Fire Department died Monday of a heart attack suffered at his insurance agency, said his son, Randy Lewis.

Born Feb. 28, 1920, in Los Angeles, Lewis moved to the Antelope Valley as a child.

He graduated from Antelope Valley High School in 1938 and served in the Army Air Corps during World War II as a technical sergeant.

The son of a Los Angeles firefighter, Lewis joined the Fire Department in 1948 and worked downtown, and in stations in East Los Angeles, Van Nuys and Winnetka.

He received a bachelor’s degree in public administration in the mid-1950s from USC.

In 1970, he opened an insurance agency bearing his name in Lake Hughes. Lewis retired from the Fire Department in 1979 with the rank of battalion chief and continued selling insurance until his death.

He also owned and managed a fruit ranch, the Pine Canyon Cherry Farm, in Lake Hughes.

Lewis served on the Board of Trustees for the Hughes-Elizabeth Lakes Union School District from 1977 to 1989 and also was on the board of directors of the Antelope Valley Schools Transportation Agency.

He belonged to the Lancaster Elks Lodge No. 1625, and helped start the Antelope Valley Demeter Club No. 11 in 1975 and the Lake Hughes Lions Club in 1982.

He served as president of the Lions Club in 1987-88.

He is survived by his wife of 20 years, Ruth Lewis of Lake Hughes; three sons, Randy Lewis of Canoga Park, Gordon Lewis of Millington, Tenn., and Larry Lewis of Whittier; a daughter, Ruth Jackilini of Simi Valley; a stepson, Scott Skelton of Lake Hughes; a stepdaughter, Lynn Mauricio of San Francisco; four brothers, Vernon Lewis of Atwater, Donald Lewis of San Gabriel, Jerry Lewis of Paradise, Calif., and Jimmy Lewis of Lake Hughes; a sister, Ruth Clark of Lancaster, and 18 grandchildren.

A memorial service is planned for 6 tonight at Church of the Lakes, 43728 N. Mountain View Road, Lake Hughes.

A funeral service is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. Saturday at the Kirk O’ the Valley Presbyterian Church, 19620 Vanowen St., Reseda.

Burial will follow at Joshua Memorial Park. Mumaw Funeral Home in Lancaster is handling the arrangements.

Donations may be made in Lewis’ name to the Richard Lewis Memorial Fund, in care of Church of the Lakes, 43728 N. Mountain View Road, Lake Hughes 93532, or to the Los Angeles City Firemen’s Relief Assn. Widows and Orphans Fund, 2900 W. Temple St., Los Angeles 90026.