Obituary for Birteal "Birt" Lewis (Jackson)
Birteal “Birt” Jackson Lewis was the fourth of six children born from the union of Sadie Jackson (nee Stone) and Arthur Jackson on December 6, 1944, in Sicily Island, Louisiana.
At the age of four, Birt and her family migrated from Louisiana to California in 1948 and settled in the Bay Area’s City of Richmond, California. She graduated from Harry Ells High School in 1963 and subsequently attended business classes at Laney College in nearby Oakland. In later years she earned certificates in Interior Design and Early Childhood Development, both complimenting her natural creativity and love of children.
Birt grew up in the Providence Baptist Church family, singing in the choir and serving as a Junior Usher. It was at church where she met her future husband, Namon Lewis, Jr., in 1963. Namon was instantly enchanted after seeing Birt’s yearbook picture while visiting a friend. He tracked her down and decided to attend Sunday services at Providence to meet her and her mother. After six months of courtship, Birt and Namon married on February 9, 1964. They were devoted life partners, providing a loving, stable, and nurturing home for their three daughters: Monica, Stephani, and Dana. And together they created an endearing love story for the next 58 years until Namon’s death on October 30, 2022.
While Namon’s career advanced, Birt managed multiple relocations, from California to Connecticut, back to California, Colorado, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Maryland. Birt anchored her family, integrating her daughters into new schools, neighborhoods, and social circles. Her undivided love and devotion manifested in the girls’ upbringing, and she focused her energy on their wellbeing and education. She was a supportive wife and mother, providing endless attention, sage advice, and continual encouragement to her family.
A consummate hostess, Birt loved making her extended family and friends feel at home. For her, entertaining and cooking were expressions of love; her legendary culinary skills were honed by a relentless desire to improve and try new recipes. Her eye for interior design found its way into each home, which she curated with warmth and passion.
Once grandchildren arrived, Birt was ever present. She was influential in the lives of all her grandchildren, making her final two relocations to Pennsylvania and Maryland to be closer to them. She cherished the role of ‘Gammy’ and cultivated special relationships with each grandchild, balancing tradition with a deep, abiding love that only a grandparent can provide.
Birt’s interests and skills extended to the community, church, friendships, and hobbies. She served as the Executive Secretary of Hall Neighborhood House (HNH), a nonprofit community development center for underrepresented children in Bridgeport, Connecticut. She wrote grants, established HNH’s first onsite library, participated in fundraising, set up skills programs and curated artwork. Birt’s transformational work at HNH made her a trailblazer.
Birt’s service to the church was recognized by her appointment to a Trustee position at Mt. Bethel Baptist Church in Ridgewood, New Jersey. Later she became the first woman ordained as a Deacon at Union Baptist Church in Stamford, Connecticut.
In her California years, Birt created friendships with the families of other young IBM executives that lasted decades. She was also a proud member of the “Belles,” a book club comprised of special friends in the New York Tri-State Area for over 20 years. Together, they reviewed favorite books, went on retreats, and stayed close to one another through the years.
Birt enjoyed traveling internationally, rooting for her Oakland Raiders, gardening, reading, and watching British mysteries.
One of Birt’s crowning achievements was sending three daughters and two granddaughters to Hampton University, her unofficial ‘Home by the Sea’. Birt loved meeting her daughter’s and granddaughter’s friends and sorority sisters. She attended homecomings, AKA probate shows and graduations, always immersing herself in the Hampton culture. She had a warm, endearing spirit that inspired those she met.
On the evening of January 6, 2024, she joined her beloved Namon and leaves to cherish her memory: daughters Monica Spruill (Darryl), Stephani Lewis and Dana M. Lewis; grandchildren Cameron Brown, Paige Brown, Julian Conner, Mallory Conner, Aspen Spruill and Ainsley Spruill; sister Jacqueline Ann Jackson; sisters-in-law Lucille Jackson, Bettye Jane Jackson, Leslie Jackson, Lois Casey, Mary Lewis, Kimberly Lewis and Gloria Grisby; brother-in-law John Lewis; nieces Robyn Jackson, Dionne Jackson, Tammy Jackson, Erin (Jackson) Kurtz, Tia Jackson, nephews Ricky Jackson and Marcus Stephens; and extended family and friends. Her parents and brothers Earl, Arthur, Jr., Lawrence, and Charles Jackson preceded her in death.
At the age of four, Birt and her family migrated from Louisiana to California in 1948 and settled in the Bay Area’s City of Richmond, California. She graduated from Harry Ells High School in 1963 and subsequently attended business classes at Laney College in nearby Oakland. In later years she earned certificates in Interior Design and Early Childhood Development, both complimenting her natural creativity and love of children.
Birt grew up in the Providence Baptist Church family, singing in the choir and serving as a Junior Usher. It was at church where she met her future husband, Namon Lewis, Jr., in 1963. Namon was instantly enchanted after seeing Birt’s yearbook picture while visiting a friend. He tracked her down and decided to attend Sunday services at Providence to meet her and her mother. After six months of courtship, Birt and Namon married on February 9, 1964. They were devoted life partners, providing a loving, stable, and nurturing home for their three daughters: Monica, Stephani, and Dana. And together they created an endearing love story for the next 58 years until Namon’s death on October 30, 2022.
While Namon’s career advanced, Birt managed multiple relocations, from California to Connecticut, back to California, Colorado, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Maryland. Birt anchored her family, integrating her daughters into new schools, neighborhoods, and social circles. Her undivided love and devotion manifested in the girls’ upbringing, and she focused her energy on their wellbeing and education. She was a supportive wife and mother, providing endless attention, sage advice, and continual encouragement to her family.
A consummate hostess, Birt loved making her extended family and friends feel at home. For her, entertaining and cooking were expressions of love; her legendary culinary skills were honed by a relentless desire to improve and try new recipes. Her eye for interior design found its way into each home, which she curated with warmth and passion.
Once grandchildren arrived, Birt was ever present. She was influential in the lives of all her grandchildren, making her final two relocations to Pennsylvania and Maryland to be closer to them. She cherished the role of ‘Gammy’ and cultivated special relationships with each grandchild, balancing tradition with a deep, abiding love that only a grandparent can provide.
Birt’s interests and skills extended to the community, church, friendships, and hobbies. She served as the Executive Secretary of Hall Neighborhood House (HNH), a nonprofit community development center for underrepresented children in Bridgeport, Connecticut. She wrote grants, established HNH’s first onsite library, participated in fundraising, set up skills programs and curated artwork. Birt’s transformational work at HNH made her a trailblazer.
Birt’s service to the church was recognized by her appointment to a Trustee position at Mt. Bethel Baptist Church in Ridgewood, New Jersey. Later she became the first woman ordained as a Deacon at Union Baptist Church in Stamford, Connecticut.
In her California years, Birt created friendships with the families of other young IBM executives that lasted decades. She was also a proud member of the “Belles,” a book club comprised of special friends in the New York Tri-State Area for over 20 years. Together, they reviewed favorite books, went on retreats, and stayed close to one another through the years.
Birt enjoyed traveling internationally, rooting for her Oakland Raiders, gardening, reading, and watching British mysteries.
One of Birt’s crowning achievements was sending three daughters and two granddaughters to Hampton University, her unofficial ‘Home by the Sea’. Birt loved meeting her daughter’s and granddaughter’s friends and sorority sisters. She attended homecomings, AKA probate shows and graduations, always immersing herself in the Hampton culture. She had a warm, endearing spirit that inspired those she met.
On the evening of January 6, 2024, she joined her beloved Namon and leaves to cherish her memory: daughters Monica Spruill (Darryl), Stephani Lewis and Dana M. Lewis; grandchildren Cameron Brown, Paige Brown, Julian Conner, Mallory Conner, Aspen Spruill and Ainsley Spruill; sister Jacqueline Ann Jackson; sisters-in-law Lucille Jackson, Bettye Jane Jackson, Leslie Jackson, Lois Casey, Mary Lewis, Kimberly Lewis and Gloria Grisby; brother-in-law John Lewis; nieces Robyn Jackson, Dionne Jackson, Tammy Jackson, Erin (Jackson) Kurtz, Tia Jackson, nephews Ricky Jackson and Marcus Stephens; and extended family and friends. Her parents and brothers Earl, Arthur, Jr., Lawrence, and Charles Jackson preceded her in death.