Honestly, I was just thinking about Lewis yesterday! I was walking my black lab Stella at beautiful Rocky Point State Park in Rhode Island, and military jets and helicopters were flying overhead. I thought of Lewis and Leonard and their military service, and started reminiscing about my trip to visit Lewis and Elizabeth in Oregon and how kind and generous they were to me. I’m sure he was somehow there with me yesterday.

Nancy and I just now got the tragic news of Lew’s passing. In 1973, when I returned home from a long period of imprisonment in North Vietnam, Lew was instrumental in helping me to re-enter Air Force life. He honored Nancy and I by asking us to become Godparents to their son, Len. The friendship we shared, beginning as “RTBs” at the Air Force Academy, will not be forgotten.  God Bless you, Lew, and God Bless the Svitenko family!
John Fer

I was fortunate to have had the chance to connect with Lewis. Even though we were first cousins, we did not really know each other growing up. He moved away from Massachusetts before I was born. I visited him in Grants Pass in 2019 and he and Elizabeth treated me so well. I truly enjoyed getting to know him and listening to his stories about our family, his family, and especially about his twin brother Len. I will never forget the wild ride I took with him in his Mercedes Benz. He was quite the driver!!

My condolences and love,
Tish