Barbara Ann Berg Lewis

Barbara Ann Berg Lewis was a beloved mother, grandmother, aunt, sister, teacher, wife, and friend during her amazing 87 years. She died peacefully on July 7, 2022 at the University of Vermont Medical Center from chronic medical conditions. Barbara graduated summa cum laude from Mount Holyoke College, majoring in chemistry, and remained sharp up to the end of her life. She loved reading and read almost every mystery novel from the Pierson Library. We will remember her for her incredible courage, determination, and never-ending love and support for her family and friends. Barbara lived a full life. She was born on April 24, 1935 in Newark, New Jersey to John F. and Mildred (Pearl) S. Berg and was raised with her sister Millie in Maplewood, New Jersey. She graduated from Columbia High School and went to Mount Holyoke College where she excelled in her studies and formed lifelong friendships. After marrying John Lewis in 1957, and after the birth of their 3 children, she completed graduate studies in teaching at The University of Vermont, earning an M.A. in education. Barbara first worked at Smith Kline and French in Philadelphia supporting her family as a chemist while her husband, John, was in medical school. After the family moved to Vermont in 1968, she worked at Champlain Valley Union High School teaching chemistry for a decade, where she won State Teacher of the Year and was invited to attend an award dinner at the White House. She also won the Timm Award from New England Chemistry Teachers (NEACT) in 1990. Later, Barbara moved to higher education teaching chemistry at St. Michaels, Norwich University, and the University of Vermont. After she and John moved to Colorado for a decade and a half in 1994, she taught chemistry at Colorado College in Colorado Springs. Barbara loved Vermont and was an avid volunteer giving many house and grounds tours at Shelburne Farms. She and John traveled widely and saw all the continents of the world, often traveling with “The Slapdash Crew”, four of their closest college friends. She also thoroughly enjoyed watching her grandkids play basketball, soccer, and volleyball, as well as attending their many extraordinary musical performances. Barbara was predeceased by her daughter, Jeanette, and her parents. She is survived by her husband John D. Lewis, her daughters Judy Lewis Pugliese and Jacquie Lewis-Wang, their spouses Sam Pugliese and Qiang (John) Wang, and her grandchildren (Annabella and Antonio Pugliese and Sophia and Phillip Wang). She is also survived by her sister Millie Cunningham and nephews Derek and Bob Cunningham. She has a large and loving extended family mostly in New Jersey and a large and loving friend group in Vermont and beyond. We will miss Barbara, mother, grandmother, aunt, sister, teacher, and wife dearly for her constant caring, love, understanding, and support. She was the social networker, organizer, and memory bank for our family, and her intelligence and spirit will be missed dearly. The Memorial Service will be held at 10:00am on July 23rd at the Charlotte Congregational Church on 403 Churchill Road in Charlotte. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Pierson Library (piersonlibrary.org) in the memory of Barbara Lewis.