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George Edward Lewis II, 83, died early in the morning on July 25, 2025, at his home on Lake Jackson in Tallahassee from the progression of Parkinson’s Disease. He was born in Tallahassee, Florida, on July 28, 1941, the first-born son of Clifton Van Brunt Lewis and George Lewis II. He was preceded in death by his wife of fifty years, Mary Ann Giles Lewis. He is survived by three children, Mary Byrd Lewis Sims (Ramsay), Anne Cameron Lewis Barton (William, deceased) and George Lewis III (Sarah), and five granddaughters, Melissa Byrd Sims, Virginia Holland “Holly” Sims, Isabella Collins Barton, Stella Mae Lewis, and Clifton Wren Lewis. He was the brother of William Van Brunt Lewis (deceased), Clifton Byrd Lewis Mashburn, and Benjamin Bridges Lewis. A native Tallahasseean, George attended Sealey Elementary School, Elizabeth Cobb Middle School, and Leon High School. He was a 1959 graduate of Leon High School, where he served as Senior Class Vice President, and was a member of Key Club, Mu Alpha Theta, and the Pierian National Honor Society. After high school, the mountains called, and George found himself studying at The University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee, where he earned a B.A. in Political Science in 1963. During his time on the Mountain, he served as President of Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity, Disciplinary Committee Chair, and Captain of the Swim Team. He was proud to have become an Exornati, and attended his 50th Reunion with his children, themselves Sewanee graduates. He and Mary Ann were married soon thereafter at St. John’s Episcopal Church and moved to Charlottesville, Virginia, where he earned his J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law in 1966. It was Charlottesville where they acquired their beloved German Shephard, Tash. The couple returned to Tallahassee and started their family in Los Robles, settling back into the neighborhood where George was born. That’s when George began his career as a banker with The Lewis State Bank, joining the family’s longstanding and respected community banking tradition. He later worked for the State of Florida Comptroller’s office before opening his private law practice in his grandparents’ East Park Avenue home in downtown Tallahassee. He practiced law until this year, faithfully serving many clients with Trust, Estate, and Tax preparation. He was indelibly dedicated to upholding both the law and the ethical obligations of his stature as an attorney, and his clients were a priority and a passion. St. Teresa Beach and Dog Island provided the backdrop and soundtrack for much of George’s life. He was the oldest of many close-knit cousins, and together they spent a great deal of time on the water and shores of the coast, where he garnered the fabled nickname “Edgewater.” Multiple generations of Lewis and Byrd families continue to make memories along the same shore, honoring the family’s legacy of Ongoingness. As tradition goes, the sung blessing prior to beautiful meals under the Tarpon at Bubberville is always the Doxology. Life on the water was what nourished George’s soul. He and Mary Ann had a home on Lake McBride, and later built their family home on Lake Jackson, where the breezes on the wide porch promoted many festive gatherings and time for reflection. Frequent walks along the lakeshore with beloved dogs, friends, and family provided opportunities for deep relationships and keen observations of the natural world. George became a heroic advocate for Lake Jackson, being honored by Tallahassee-Leon County as a Watershed Champion in 2007 and serving as a passionate legal counsel and conservation ally to Friends of Lake Jackson for many years. He avidly devoted a lifetime of environmental advocacy to the preservation and conservation of Leon County’s most valuable land and water resources, contributing an unrivaled breadth of knowledge to help ensure a sustainable future for the community that he treasured. He fought tirelessly to protect what he loved. In addition to his commitment to Lake Jackson, George served on the Board of the Tallahassee Museum, and was a long-time supporter of LeMoyne Arts, both of which were co-founded in Tallahassee by his mother. He also enjoyed the meaningful relationships that provided intellectual stimulation and fellowship during his time in the local Cosmos Club. Exploring, traveling, and tinkering were some of George’s favorite pastimes. He and Mary Ann served as missionaries in Nicaragua and traveled over one thousand miles across the English countryside on bicycles. He never missed an opportunity to lead an adventure, later reliving each excursion through long-winded storytelling. He had epic adventures with his children in Spain, New Zealand, Puerto Rico, the Florida Keys, Montana, on the Appalachian Trail, and at FDR State Park. He walked countless miles on foot with a grandchild on his back or by his side. George curated his camping gear and gadgets purposefully, and he yearned for reconnoitering, discovering local lore, and collecting treasures, especially if they were a bargain and discovered along a road less traveled. St. John’s Episcopal Church was George’s spiritual home, where he was baptized, confirmed, and married. He loved recounting his Camp Weed summers at St. Teresa, where enduring friendships were formed. George served at St. John’s on the Vestry and was a self-proclaimed St. John’s Cemetery historian. He was a defender of the tradition and core values of the church where his family has deep roots. A service will take place on Friday, September 5, 2025 at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Tallahassee, Florida, at 3:00pm with a reception to follow. In lieu of flowers, the family invites you to support George’s family legacy through a donation to LeMoyne Arts (https://www.lemoyne.org/honor-a-loved-one.html) or the Tallahassee Museum (https://tallahasseemuseum.org/). Please indicate that your donation is in honor of George E. Lewis II. The family greatly appreciates the recent care and support provided by outstanding caregivers and the staff at Big Bend Hospice. Breanna Green of Bevis Funeral Home (850-385-2193 or www.bevisfh.com) is assisting the family with their arrangements.

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George Edward Lewis II

July 28, 1941 - July 25, 2025