Benjamin Arthur Lewis

Benjamin Arthur “Art” Lewis died peacefully at home with his loving wife Angela Marky Lewis and family by his side.

Art was born to Trevor Lewis and Tegwedd Williams. The family moved to Belfast, Ireland after World War II. Art studied at Queen’s University Belfast where he was awarded a BS in 1955, and a PhD in organic chemistry in 1959. He continued his research in organic chemistry as a post doctoral fellow at Cornell University’s Baker Laboratory, then at Oxford University.

His professional career in the pharmaceutical industry began in 1963 at Lederle Laboratories, at American Cyanamid Company in New York. While at Lederle, Art was a co-inventor on 11 patents. He continued his career at Carter-Wallace in Cranbury, New Jersey and at McKesson Corporation in San Francisco, California. In 1995, Art retired as President of the International Division at McKesson.

Art pursued his keen interest in rowing throughout his adult life, and won the Irish Senior Championship known as “The Big Pot” in 1956 while a member of the Senior VIII crew of the Queen’s University Belfast Boat Club.

Art loved telling a good story, listening to Irish music, and cheering the San Francisco 49ers to victory. Art and his wife Angela loved entertaining friends and family at their home on the Napa River, exploring Napa Valley wineries, visiting family and friends in Peru, and spending Friday nights with friends at the Napa Valley Yacht Club.

Art was predeceased by his parents, and his brother John Trevor Lewis. He is survived by his wife Angela Marky Lewis, his stepchildren Chris Kraynik and Maritza Buckman (Travis Buckman), and grandchildren Luna and Rio Buckman. From his first marriage, he is survived by his daughters Jane Lewis (Gregory Pontecorvo) of Seattle and Sarah Lewis Smith of Princeton, and grandchildren Benjamin Pontecorvo, David Pontecorvo, Bertie Smith, and Camilla Smith.

Art will be remembered for his thoughtfulness, intelligence, and wit. He will be greatly missed by his family and friends in Napa, Ireland, Peru, and elsewhere around the world.

A memorial service will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to a charity of your choice.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Benjamin Arthur Lewis, please visit our floral store.