Eight Bells: George Lewis

George Lewis

George Lewis, 91, lifelong resident of Sherborn, MA and Vinalhaven, ME, died May 9, 2022. George was an avid sailor whose time on the water included racing around the buoys in boats big and small, worldwide cruising, and several trans-Atlantic passages.

Early in his sailing days, he tried out for the 1956 U.S. Olympics in 5.5 meter sloops. Over his lifetime, he owned and raced many sailboats, wooden and fiberglass, from one design dinghies to fast fiberglass sloops. His favorite boats later in life were his North Haven Dinghy RECOVERY and NY40 ROSE.

In addition to regular afternoon sails aboard Rose, George remained active in the sailing world. He could be found in a cockpit, on a committee of the North Haven Casino (yacht club), or at club gatherings of the Cruising Club of America and New York Yacht Club. George traveled widely, cruised the world extensively, and loved adventures, whether far afield or close to home.

George lived all his life in a house overlooking the Charles River that was built by his parents, George Lewis and Muriel Saltonstall. He was one of two children and was predeceased by his sister Eleanor Campbell. He graduated from Charles River School, Fenn School, Middlesex School, and the University of Virginia.

He served in the Army during the 1950s. George was one of four founding partners of the Boston investment firm, Thorndike, Doran, Paine and Lewis (TDP&L, 1958) that later merged (1966) and became Wellington Management.

Today, the once low-key investment firm is one of the world’s largest privately held asset managers. George retired from Wellington in 1994 but remained a very active investment partner in the Boston family business, S. & Co., Inc., until his death.

An astute collector of marine art and antiques, he was equally at home in one of his many bow ties and a suit at a business meeting, as he was on a Sunday drive around Sherborn’s Farm Pond in his 1954 blue Mercedes convertible. He loved his Sherborn gardens and landscape, especially the camellias that bloomed in his greenhouse in the winter months, and the many peonies that burst forth in June.

He was a supporter of land conservation both in Massachusetts and Maine. George was a generous and involved community member; his board memberships with many institutions included the Peabody Essex Museum, Thompson Island Outward Bound, Middlesex School, and Wentworth Institute of Technology.

He was predeceased by first wife, mother of his 4 children, Laura Carruthers. He leaves his wife of 37 years, Emily Lincoln Saltonstall; four children, George Lewis, Jr. and wife Claudine, Cameron Lewis and wife Gretchen Scott, Lisa Lewis and husband Bart Dunbar, Lynnie Lewis and husband Philip Ohler; and four stepchildren, Richard Saltonstall, Polly Saltonstall and husband John Hanson, Patrick Saltonstall, and Andrew Saltonstall and wife, Tamara; 19 grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

Interment at Forest Hills Cemetery, Jamaica Plain will be private. A Celebration of Life will be held at the Middlesex School Chapel in Concord, MA on June 15th at 1300. Donations in lieu of flowers, may be made in honor of George Lewis to one of the following organizations: Thompson Island Outward Bound, MA or North Haven Dinghy Foundation, ME.