Bertha Ann Lewis

Bertha Ann Lewis was born on October 21, 1927 at Madelia Hospital, Watonwan County, to Verne E. Lewis and Lilian M. Lewis. She was baptized at home. She was confirmed at United Methodist Church, Madelia. Betty attended Country School District 17, rural Lewisville and graduated from Truman High School. Betty went on to the University of Minnesota, receiving a Bachelor's Degree in Chemistry in 1949, with a Master's in Chemistry in 1954 and then a PhD. in chemistry in 1957. After college, she continued to work at the U of M teaching and doing research in food carbohydrates. During that time she taught a course in mortuary science at the College of St. Catherine's. In 1968 Betty moved to Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. She continued to teach and do research there until 2006. Some of Betty's first research was on dietary fiber's role in food, nutrition and health. She was among the first scientists to do research into dietary fiber. Over the years in addition to teaching and research, she served on several committees of the American Chemical Society; she was national president of Sigma Delta Epsilon-Graduate Women in Science. In her spare time, Betty loved to travel to the National Parks, go bird watching, and establish and hike the trails in the Finger Lakes Region. She traveled all around the world attending professional conferences. Betty moved back to Minnesota close to her family in 2006. She died at the Truman Senior Living on Thursday, April 17, 2008, at the age of 80. Betty is survived by one brother, Leslie Lewis (Gladys) of Lewisville, two sisters-in-law, Phyllis Lewis of Oakland, California, and Esther Lewis of Truman, nieces and nephews Diane VanTassell, Gene Lewis, Johanna Chapelle, all of Berkley, CA, Barb (Ernie) Jones of Truman, Judy (Tom) Pitcher of Wausau, WI, Sandy (Tom) LeTourneau of Beaumont, TX, Carmen (Steve) Reckard of Truman, Colleen (Stan Komendowski) Lewis of Hillpoint, WI, Marcia (Eugene Kurata) Lewis of Burnsville, Jim (Jennifer) Lewis of Hackensack, Denise (Pat Skelly) Lewis of Eagan, Ken (Gloria) Lewis of Lewisville, Karen (Terry) Duncan of Owatonna, Mary (Chad) Ruble of St. Cloud, and numerous great nieces and nephews and numerous great great nieces and nephews. Betty was preceded in death by her parents; 2 brothers (James and Ralph), and one niece (Kathy).