Dr. Marie Lewis

Dr. Deanna "Marie" Lewis, 86, of Wilson, died Saturday, September 19, 2026.

The funeral will be Saturday September 26, 1:00PM, at Wilson Memorial Service. Interment will be in the Middlesex Cemetery, Middlesex NC.

Ms. Lewis was born June 30, 1940 in Middlesex, NC to the late Dewey and Nancy Jane Estridge Lewis.

She is survived by her nieces, Nancy Little Owens (Billy) and Linda Finch Savedge (Lewis) and nephews Mike Finch (Sherrie), Doug Finch (Mary), Charles Little, and Eric Little.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her sisters, Ina Lewis Little and Jean Lewis Finch and brothers, Richard Lewis and Franklin Lewis, and nephew Neil Little.

She Lewis graduated from Middlesex High School in 1958, obtained her Batchelor of Science from Wake Forest in 1962, and completed her Doctor of Education from at the University of Virginia in 1982. After beginning her teaching career in North Carolina, Ms. Lewis moved to Lynchburg, Va in 1973 to teach and coach women's basketball at Lynchburg College.

Ms. Lewis coached basketball for 20 years and was named the 1989 Women's Basketball coach of the Year by the Old Dominion Athletic Association. In 1973 Ms. Lewis established women's volleyball as a sport at Lynchburg College for which she coached for 21 years and was a two-time recipient of the Women's Volleyball Coach of the Year in 1999 and 2000. Ms. Lewis also excelled in her role at Lynchburg College as Professor and Chair for the Department of Health, Movement Sciences and Recreation. In 2016 Ms. Lewis was inducted into the Lynchburg College Sports Hall of Fame for her coaching career in basketball and volleyball. In 2025 she was also inducted into the ODAC Sports Hall of Fame.

In 2006, Ms. Lewis retired from Lynchburg College and moved to Wilson, NC to be close to her family. She was soon hired by Fike High School to coach the girls' volleyball team for two years. Ms. Lewis was a member of First United Methodist Church Wilson and enjoyed singing in the choir for 13 years.

The family would like to thank the staff of Parkwood Village and Gentiva Hospice for their kind and loving care of Ms. Lewis.

Memorials may be made to the First United Methodist Church Psalm 150 Fund, PO Box 1423, Wilson, NC 27894.

Arrangements by Wilson Memorial Service, 2811 Fieldstream Dr N, Wilson, (252) 237-7171, www.wilsonmemorialservice.com