Lewis C. Shealy, Jr.

Thank you for visiting the memorial website of Lewis C. Shealy Jr. Before he passed, he requested that people share their memories of him through writing, photos, and videos. Please take the time and do that in the box at the bottom of this page.

After 89 years, Lewis C. Shealy Jr. died on December 1st, 2020. He is survived by his wife of 68 years Bettie Shealy, children Lewis C. Shealy III and Deborah Hayden, and grandchildren Meghan Samberg, Lewis C Shealy IV, Randall Hayden, Timothy Hayden, and Matthew Hayden, and great grandchildren Pepper Samberg, Olive Samberg, Idris Samberg, Alaina Shealy, and Isabella Hayden. 

Lew, as most people knew him, was born May 7, 1931 on a farm in Conehatta, MS, to Lewis Clinton Shealy and Bessie Horton Shealy. There he lived a life of simple means with siblings Richard Allen Shealy Sr., Lavon Shealy, and Carolyn Shealy Jolly until 1940, when the family moved to Lipscomb, AL, where his father went to work at the new US Steel. He left school and joined the military at the age of 17, but before he left, he proposed to his highschool sweetheart Bettie. He briefly returned a year later and they married in May of 1952.

Lew had a successful career, beginning in the United States military. He served for more than 20 years in the United States Air Force as an OSI agent, serving tours in Korea and Vietnam. He was also a Chief Liaison to the CIA and FBI, and one of the very few people to receive the award of gold cufflinks with the fingerprints of his left and right index fingers from J. Edgar Hoover for his exceptional service to the bureau. He then used that experience to move onto corporate loss prevention, with executive roles at Woodward and Lothrop in Washington, DC, Marshall Fields in Chicago, and the Eckerd Drug Corporation in Tampa, FL. His innovative techniques (like installing a camera inside the head of a mannequin) earned him much acclaim and led to appearances on the Oprah Winfrey Show and 20/20 with John Stossel. Lew retired in 1996, moving back to his adopted home state of Alabama.

During his retirement Lew enjoyed the simple routines after a lifetime of hard work. He loved a good glass of wine, waking up early to make sure to feed the many animals who would wander into his yard, and attending Sunday School at Pleasant Hill United Methodist Church. He could often be found at his beloved Bright Star restaurant holding court. He loved keeping up with his family, always with his phone or ipad close by to forward them articles he found interesting. He was extremely proud of his five grandchildren, and was their biggest fan in whatever they pursued.

Lew was blessed with charm and a sense of humor that had a lasting impact on everyone he encountered. He never met a stranger and always had a joke and a story at hand. To many, Lew was a fountain of wisdom, having certain phrases that acted as his north star: 

“Does it pass inspection?” Anyone who worked with Lew would hear that one many times.

“Listen to those who are 20 years older than you until you are about 50, and then listen to those who are 20 years younger than you from then on.” He heard that from his uncle when he was young, and it served to guide Lew through life.

“The secret to a happy marriage is a balanced checkbook and a balanced sex life.”

Usually this one would embarass Bettie, and she would respond with “Don’t marry the person you want to spend the rest of your life with, marry the person you can’t live the rest of your life without.” His relationship with Bettie, his lifelong sweetheart and best friend, defined his life and was an inspiration to those around him. They celebrated their 68th year of marriage this year, in 2020.