Former Georgia Baptist Lewis dies at 64

CENTRALIA, Mo. (BP) — Betty Jo Lewis, wife of Larry Lewis, former president of the Southern Baptist Home Mission Board, died Feb. 10 at the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. She was 64.

During their years in the Peach State, the Lewises were charter members of Colonial Woods Baptist Church in Lawrenceville, which began in a home in 1988. The couple had lived near Centralia, Mo., the past several years.

Betty Jo Lewis served alongside her husband when he led the mission board (now named the North American Mission Board) from 1987-96, during his presidency of Hannibal-LaGrange College in Hannibal, Mo., from 1981-87, and when he was pastor of Tower Grove Baptist Church in St. Louis and in other pastorates and positions in Ohio, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Missouri from 1960-81.

Betty Jo Lewis, a native of Fort Worth, Texas, also was the author of the book Hand in Hand and was active as a Bible teacher.

She is survived by her husband; two daughters, Janet Saidi of Columbia, Mo., and Christy Forte of Granada Hills, Calif.; a son, Mark of Albuquerque, N.M.; and three granddaughters.