ROBERT (BERT) EDWARD LEWIS

Condolences & Memories (4 entries)

• Burt was my brother-in-law. We butted heads from time to time, however that did not matter to me because he loved and adored my sister Diana. He was colourful and times stubborn to say the least. He was extremely dedicated to AAA and I know he helped many, many persons in need. My sister is very sad she has lost her best friend and partner. I am glad he suffers no more. - Posted by: Sonja Peacock (Sister in law) on: May 30, 2012

• I met Bert when he was engaged to Diana and preparing for marriage at Mary Mother Church. Bert was open, honest and loved a good laugh. I believe he loved listening to my stories and telling some of his own. He was always better at keeping in touch than I was. No matter where I moved for work Bert was always up on my progress through the ranks. I even ended up in his home town of Deloraine, which gave us more to talk about. He showed me respect and he got it back two-fold. I hated seeing him sick and suffering and despaired. He fought hard and long. May God wipe away the tears and take him into His loving arms. Our deepest sympathy to his lovely wife Diana and his family. We are all better for knowing Bert. Gordon and Brenda Noseworthy. - Posted by: Gordon Noseworthy (Friend) on: Mar 14, 2012

• Bert has been an EFAP Peer for about 15 years. Even though he retired a few years ago as a CN employee, he stayed on as a Peer in the EFAP program. He has always been a big believer in the program and how it can help others. Many times he shared with me that this program has saved his life and his goal was to pay it forward by helping others. I have come across a few people who mentioned that Bert has been instrumental in turning their life around or someone they knew very well received a helping hand from Bert. What struck me most when I met Bert, is that he had a big heart and wasn't afraid to wear it on his sleeves. He was a real person who did not pretend to be someone he was not. I appreciated his honesty and his truth. He liked to joke around with his colleagues. Bert was also someone who liked to get things done and you knew that you could count on him to make things happen. Every year CN has a Family day, Bert has always been involved in the planning and execution to help make our part of the event a success. The last couple of years we had a fish pond, and he came out shopping with me to pick out some prizes for the kids. Not sure who had more fun with these prizes, Bert or the kids. :) Bert is one of the pioneers of this EFAP program and his involvement with this program has helped many people who have been in contact with him. The fire and love in his heart played a very important role in the success of this program. He was a joy to have on my team and to work with. - Posted by: Anita McDonald (Co-Worker) on: Mar 13, 2012

• For the first time in my life I have had to face an event that occurs on a daily basis all around the world head on. Through the finality of Bert's earthly experience he taught me something incredible. Locked within an internal battle with a disease that showed no mercy, he showed me a passion, a desire, a strength that I never knew existed. In the time I knew him, Bert was never known for being the most patient or well tempered person, but that fire in his belly was the root of the lesson he has taught me. It would be easy to describe his passing as a battle lost to cancer, but that's not how I am going to view this. This wasn't a cut and dry win or lose situation, because the end result was always going to be the same. The disease took his body, voice, and parts of his mind but it never took his spirit, and the days I saw him leading up to that result, I saw a man wage a war against the pain and suffering and that I believe is a victory of the will. No matter what this disease did to him physically, it could not break down his soul. We look for lessons in life and sometimes we find them in sadness or places we didn't expect to. As sad as I am, I feel stronger after seeing Bert fight so valiantly. We tried to let him know that it was ok to let go and even though he couldn't tell us his thoughts, you could see he wasn't going to leave until he had exhausted every ounce of energy. I applaud him for this as he made death earn its keep. I get to pass on his lesson of courage to a new life, which creates a beginning out of an ending; but even to consider this an end cannot be done completely. It is true that we will never see Bert again on this planet, but our bodies are not who we are. Bert is now unhindered by the machinations of our corporeal selves, he needs not be hungry, thirsty, tired, sick, or burdened by possession or finances anymore. I'd be lying if I didn't feel somewhat envious of him. Bert now gets to experience true life, which i believe will come equipped for him with a workshop and all the John Deere tractors he could ever imagine, but even this does not tie him down to a particular location. My belief is that the soul, once it becomes unshackled from physicality, can then soar through the universe and even through time itself. There are no limitations or boundaries by which it abides by, he is truly free. Regardless of our faith or beliefs, until our time has come we will never know or comprehend what awaits us, but when my time comes, Bert will be there to show me the ropes. Bert has taught me a valuable lesson about the passing of life but he will be waiting for me to show me how to live as a soul eternally. - Posted by: Billy Pollock (Step-son) on: Mar 13, 2012