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DOUGLAS K. LEWIS, 51, of TOMS RIVER
Published in the Asbury Park Press 7/29/04

DOUGLAS K. LEWIS, 51, of TOMS RIVER, died Tuesday, July 27, at Jersey Shore University Medical Center, Neptune. Born in Biloxi, Miss., he grew up in Woodbury and resided in the Shore area for the past 15 years. He was the owner of Professional Marine Racing of Brick. He was a seven-time World Power Boat Champion. He also owned and operated a shop for race boats in the Persian Gulf for several years.
He was predeceased by his mother, Joan Kramer Lewis. Surviving are his wife, Leeanne Carpenter Lewis; two daughters, Lisa Potter of Woodbury, and Kelley Schemeley of Swedesboro; a son, Daniel P. Lewis of Woodbury; his father, Douglas Harvey Lewis of West Deptford; four grandchildren, BJ, Branden, Taylor, and Brianna; two sisters, Kathleen Ward of Woodbury, and Irene Lewis of Cherry Hill; a brother, William Lewis of Yardville; and many nieces and nephews.
Visiting hours will be from 7 to 9 p.m. Friday at the Ely Funeral Home, 3316 Route 33, Neptune. A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 14, at the Presbyterian Church of Toms River, Hooper Avenue, Toms River. In lieu of flowers, donations to the International Myeloma Foundation, 12650 Riverside Drive, Suite 206, North Hollywood, CA 19607, would be appreciated.

Treadwellmotorsports

doug helped me build one of my first raceboats in 91. he was a good friend. he will be greatley missed. leane i wish you well.

Treadwell motorsports
Eric Treadwell

DPT MOTORSPORTS

As I stated in the Racers Milling Area, Doug had so much information on rigging and set up stored in his head that it totally amazed me. Also as I am dead certain that when Doug arrived to the next realm that my Father was there with a nice cold drink waiting for Doug. Really going to miss You, Good
Friend!!!!

Dennis P.Tracey

John Tomlinson,Patrick Patel, and Doug Lewis

OldSchool

Rip

Audiofn

He fought the fight. I wish him and his family well. RIP

Jon

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Toughness, expertise helped boat racer win multiple championships, widow recalls


Published in the Asbury Park Press 7/30/04
By ED PRINCE
STAFF WRITER

TOMS RIVER -- In 1999, Douglas Lewis and a friend were testing a power boat that they had just outfitted for racing when a gust of wind caught the craft and flipped it. At 180 mph, the resulting crash injured Lewis's friend and almost killed Lewis, his wife, Leeanne, said yesterday.

After a hospital stay and rehabilitation, Lewis returned to his longtime passion, racing boats, and the following year throttled the same boat to victory in a competition, his wife said. It was that same tenacity that enabled Lewis win multiple power boat racing world championships and return to racing after he was diagnosed with cancer and underwent major surgery.

Lewis died Tuesday at Jersey Shore University Medical Center, Neptune, at age 51 after a four-year battle with multiple myeloma. Leeanne Lewis recalled her husband's career in an interview following his death.

Lewis began his competitive career in the late 1970s with drag boat racing, but became expert in a wide variety of powerboat categories and raced throughout the United States and in the Middle East, his wife said.

A former racer herself, Leeanne Lewis said she and her husband met in 1989 while competing against each other. They were married in 1991.

"He was fierce," she said when asked what it was like to race her future husband. "He was the kind of guy that a lot of people begrudgingly respected."

What made her husband stand out -- and annoyed some competitors -- was his honesty, she said. Lewis adamantly refused to cheat by using over-large engines in his boats, instead relying on an intimate knowledge of the latest technology to squeeze as much power out of his regulation-size engines as possible, Leeanne Lewis said.

Because of his expertise, Lewis was recruited to race in the Mideast, where power boat racing was becoming popular. Operating three boats for a wealthy Mercedes Benz dealer and shipping magnate in Dubai, he spent about three months each year there from 1996 to 2001, his wife said.

But in 2000 Lewis was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a rare and aggressive form of bone marrow cancer.

In January 2001, Lewis underwent surgery to remove a femur and hip bone and replace them with internal prostheses. He resumed racing in March of that year and finished the season. But in December 2001, he was rediagnosed with cancer and in 2002 underwent chemotherapy, his wife said.

In addition to racing, Lewis also owned and operated Professional Marine Racing, a business in Brick catering to people with high-performance boats, Leeanne Lewis said. Lewis would take boat hulls provided by manufacturers and outfit them with high-power motors and other equipment, she said.

Leeanne Lewis outlined her husband's succession of world and other championships:


1989, Pro Stock Division World Championship in Konkrete Kat, serving as crew chief and throttleman. Also the same year with the same boat, he won the Northeast Division, New Jersey Governor's Cup and North American Championship.

1989, Stock World Championship in Great Adventure, serving as crew chief and throttleman. He and his crew outfitted the boat only a week before the race.

1990, Pro Stock World Championship in Insanity, serving as crew chief

1992, B Class World Championship in Buckshot, serving as crew chief and throttleman. He also won Northeast Division and National titles that year.

1994, Pro Stock World Championship in Terminator, serving as crew chief and throttleman. His team also won Northeast Division that year.

1998, Modified World Championship and Northeast Division, in In Contempt, serving as crew chief and throttleman.

1999, F-2 Division World Championship and Southeast in Team Sutphen

2000, Super V Light World Championship in Shock Wave.
In 1999, Lewis accomplished a feat never done before or since in powerboat racing, his wife said: he set two kilo (time trial) records in two different classes and then won both races, all in two days. Also that year, he was named the American Power Boat Association's Throttleman of the Year.

KelleyLewis

Hi everyone.. I just wanted to say that it is so nice to see so many people who care and loved my dad. He was not only an awesome racer, builder, and friend to alot of people... he was an awesome father as well. I would never trade in my experiences with him for anything that could remotely be better. Boats were his passion. I grew up knowing that. When we all lived in Woodbury, at 9 o'clock at night, he was run his drag boat in the back yard.. He knew the Woodbury Police well...considering they were at our house nightly. I'm sure the neighbors loved it.. Dad had more than 9 lives.. I can remember a few of his accidents involving boats.. and he was tough as steel... how many men do you know can get metal stuck in their eye from the lathe, and after coming from the ER go back to work... or.. go back to work after having his appendix taken out and letting it get infected.. I can only hope I could become anything like my father when i'm older. I have always looked up to him.

I just wanted to thank everyone from Lisa, Danny and I for everyones concern, and prayers and well wishes. They really do mean the world to us and help us with this healing process.

Thanks again,

Kelley Lewis
R.I.P Daddy.. I love you.

promarineracing

Thank you all for your prayers and sincere condolences. I loved Doug very much and will miss him the rest of my life. During our 15 years together, we lived life to its fullest. Met and made many friends, had a lot of fun and went to a lot of places. If I had the chance to marry Doug again and knew with certainty that this destiny awaited me, I would say yes to him all over again. It was worth the trip.

I hope that you'll join me, his kids and our families on August 14 at 11 AM at the Presbyterian Church of Toms River on Hooper Avenue for Doug's Memorial Service to celebrate his life. In lieu of flowers donations to the International Myeloma Foundation in his memory at 12650 Riverside Drive, Suite 206, North Hollywood, CA 91607 would be appreciated.

Thanks again.

Sincerely,

Leeanne Lewis

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Kelly and Leeanne,

Reverend T2x "Rich Luhrs" words of wisdom last night has certainly changed alot of things for me and I am sure for many others.

Doug would want us to celebrate his life and all he has done for so many.
He has taught many of us specific things in each individual way.

He was a teacher,a hero, a man of honesty, integrity and openness, and our OFFSHORE WORLD CHAMPION!

We will never forget him and all that he has taught us.

Yes it will be tough when we stumble across a problem that needs solving, and Doug is no longer there to give us the answers. But he will still help us and guide us in his own way from above.
He will watch over us each and every time we get in our boats.

You can count on that!

From now on as Rich has said, we need to celebrate Doug's life, and live it at full throttle as Doug did. He knew no other way...

Yes Doug, you will be missed. But I will still count on you to be there for us and guide us through the unchartered waters of our futures.....

DaveP

Rich's words of wisdom were incredible last night. They were true, funny and reminded all of us how interesting of a person Doug was.

God Bless Doug. You will be missed by many peple.