Lewis Austin Jones, age 67, passed away unexpectedly on Sunday, December 13 at Island Hospital from a fatal heart attack.  He was born in Honolulu, Hawaii to Nancy Shaw Jones (1919-1975) and Elmer Lewis Jones (1920-1967). In Lewis's youth he lived with his parents in Guam, Hawaii, Alaska, Oregon, Seattle before moving to Anacortes in 1967. Lewis attended K – middle school in the Seattle area and moved to Anacortes and graduated from Anacortes High School in 1971.  In high school, Lewis was a member of the wrestling and tennis teams and well known around town for driving his sporty 1969 Hugger Orange Chevrolet Camaro.  Lewis attended Gonzaga University for a year and transferred to University of Washington to graduate with a major in history in 1976.  He was a member of Zeta Psi Fraternity at the UW and was frequently seen wearing his UW Husky swag around town.  After college Lewis embarked on some European travel with friends and throughout his life he worked as a real estate salesperson, a house painter, a house sitter and most notably as a photographer.  Lewis's interest in photography started in college and he returned to Anacortes to take classes at Skagit Valley Community College from local photographers, Matt Brown and Dick Garvey. He worked for many years as an assistant to Matt Brown doing commercial photography.  His favorite subject matter revolved around capturing pieces of history which included old signs, neon, cars and boats which were great subjects showing the effects of time and the elements. For the past 20 years Lewis was an integral part of Scott Milo Gallery in Anacortes where he not only exhibited his photography but helped hang and light all the shows with the owner.

While Lewis was an only child, he was "family" to many in our community and his passing has left an enormous void in so many people's lives.  One of Lewis's hobbies was research, especially when it came to his family tree.  Not only was he a historian, but he served on the Anacortes Museum Advisory Board for almost 30 years, including his position as president and was a member and past president of the Skagit Valley Camera Club for over a dozen years.  Lewis also served the community by donating his photography to various organizations for their fundraising efforts and helped serve community meals through the Anacortes Lutheran Church and the Anacortes Presbyterian Church.  Lewis was a key organizer for the Class of 1971 annual Arts Festival Weekend informal class reunion.  He also attended most of the summer outdoor concerts at the park with friends and it always included pizza and ice cream.  Lewis was quite a "Foodie" with an affinity for eating great food and collecting many recipes that he often shared. He was also a collector of baseball caps and Christmas ornaments. Christmas was one of Lewis's favorite holidays and he always enjoyed the decorating and found joy in feasting on all of the extra sweets of the season.  His sweet tooth was hard to quench.

Lewis will be buried at Grandview Cemetery in Anacortes, Washington, with his mother, near his father, aunt and maternal grandparents.  Due to COVID 19 restrictions there will be no service, however, there will be a celebration of life when the restrictions are lifted.

Donations in Lewis's memory can be made by check: "Lewis A. Jones Remembrance" mailed to the

Scott Milo Gallery,
420 Commercial Ave., Anacortes WA 98221

or at  GoFundMe.com under a fundraiser of the same name: https://gofund.me/3a562bde

Funds collected will be applied to donations in Lewis's name to the Anacortes Museum and an Excellence in Photography Award at the Anacortes Arts Festival, also for the Celebration of Life, after Covid restrictions are lifted, and related expenses.

To share memories of Lewis, please sign the online guestbook at https://www.evanschapel.com