Agnes Macek Lewis, 86, of Barters Island, Trevett, passed away June 16 at her home.
She was born Jan. 13, 1925 in Zagreb, Croatia, a daughter of the late Vladko and Maria Jurak Macek. She graduated from high school in Zagreb and in 1945 escaped from the then communist Croatia with her parents and brother to Paris, France. In 1946 she lived for five months with an English family near London, England where she learned to speak English.
In 1947 the family was granted political asylum to the United States and came to Washington, DC where she attended classes at Wilson Teachers College and worked at the Library of Congress.
In 1954 she married Professor John Smith Lewis; they lived in Nevada, Kentucky and Maryland, spending most of their summers in the Boothbay area.
Having earned a BA and MA from Towson State University in Towson, Md., she taught French and Spanish at Roland Park Country Day School in Baltimore, and in 1976 she was appointed assistant professor at Towson State University where she taught English as a second language, writing, American literature and a yearly five-week seminar on her two favorite poets, Emily Dickinson and Edwin Arlington Robinson. After her retirement in 1989 she came to Barters Island as a year-round resident.
Mrs. Lewis was a member of the board of trustees of the BHML, and an active volunteer in the library, the Friends of the Library Used Book Store, Literacy Volunteers of America and Meals on Wheels.
Her husband, John S. Lewis, died in 1975.
Survivors include her son, Mark A. Lewis and wife Beverly of Sherwood, Md.; grandsons, Eastman and Morris Lewis of Baltimore and Sherwood, Md.; brother, Andre Macek of Washington, DC; nephews, Paul Macek of Virginia and Tim Macek and wife Sarah of Chevy Chase, Md.
At her request, there will be no funeral services.
Donations in her memory may be made to the Boothbay Region Food Pantry, PO Box 63, East Boothbay, ME 04544 or to Rebuilding Together, 1899 L St. NW, Suite 1000, Washington, DC 20036.
You are invited to share your condolences, photos and tributes with the Lewis family by visiting their Book of Memories at www.hallfuneralhomes.com.
Arrangements are entrusted to Simmons, Harrington & Hall Funeral Home and Cremation Service, 975 Wiscasset Rd., Boothbay.
