Tom Lewis (American politician)

Thomas F. Lewis (October 26, 1924 – August 1, 2003) was a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from Florida.

Tom Lewis
Member of the
U.S. House of Representatives
from Florida
In office
January 3, 1983  January 3, 1995
Preceded bySkip Bafalis (Redistricting)
Succeeded byMark Foley
Constituency12th district (1983–1993)
16th district (1993–1995)
Member of the Florida Senate
In office
1980–1982
Member of the Florida House of Representatives
In office
1972–1980
Councilman/Mayor of North Palm Beach
In office
1964–1971
Personal details
BornOctober 26, 1924
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
DiedAugust 1, 2003(2003-08-01) (aged 78)
Palm Beach Gardens, Florida
Political partyRepublican
SpouseMarian V. Lewis
Military service
Allegiance United States
Branch/service United States Army Air Forces
 United States Air Force
Years of service1943–1954
Rank Master Sergeant
Battles/warsWorld War II
Korean War

Formative years

Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on October 26, 1924, Lewis attended the St. Edwards School and graduated from Central High School in 1942. During World War II, he served in the U.S. Army Air Forces as a gunner aboard a B-25 bomber, and continued service in the U.S. Air Force on the ground in the Korean War, being discharged at the rank of master sergeant in 1954.[1][2]

Lewis attended Palm Beach Junior College, and graduated from the University of Florida with a business degree in 1959.

Career

For seventeen years, Lewis was an executive with the aircraft company Pratt & Whitney, followed by work in real estate investment. He entered politics in 1964 when he was elected councilman and mayor of North Palm Beach. He was elected to the Florida House of Representatives in 1972, where he served four terms, and to the Florida Senate in 1980.

In 1982, he was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives from Florida's 12th district (later the 16th district after redistricting in 1990), defeating Apollo 15 astronaut Alfred Worden in the Republican primary.[3] He would be reelected five times before retiring in 1994.[1][2]

Illness and death

Lewis died of heart failure following surgery on August 1, 2003, in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. He was survived by his wife, Marian, who was also a Florida state legislator.[1]

References

  1. Abbady, Tal (3 August 2003). "Obituary: TOM LEWIS, 1924 - 2003". Sun-Sentinel. Retrieved 18 May 2020.
  2. "LEWIS, Thomas F. (1924-2003)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
  3. "Worden, Koehler Defeated in House District 12". Boca Raton News. Associated Press. September 8, 1982 via Google News.
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