Craig Graham David Lewis, 91, died on Feb. 9, 2021 at his home in Ojai. Craig was born near Detroit on Jan. 25, 1930 to Floyd and Elizabeth Hickey, and raised in New Jersey and Los Angeles. He graduated from John Marshall High in 1947 and UCLA in 1951, then began his career in Washington as a journalist covering the Space Race for Aviation Week. After a stint at the Federal Aviation Administration during the Kennedy Administration, Craig moved to New York, where he was a public-relations executive for Martin Marietta, Earl Newsom & Co, Adams & Rinehart and Ogilvy & Mather, in that order. He resided in New Rochelle, N.Y. from 1964 to 1990, when he returned to Los Angeles to run Ogilvy’s North American P.R. operations out of the firm’s L.A. office. Retiring in 1994, Craig moved to Ojai, where he served on the local hospital board and volunteered for the local homeless shelter.
Survivors include his wife of 66 years, the artist Karen K. Lewis, of Ojai; their children Mark, Kern (Olga), Arden (Charlie) and Robin; grandchildren Craig, Caitlin, Dillon, Emily, Sergei and Mark; brother Timothy (Elizabeth); nieces Kimberly and Amanda; nephews Lenny and Christian; three great-nephews; and sister-in-law Ann Lewis. Craig was preceded in death by his parents, his brother Dale, and his sister-in-law Louise. An outdoor funeral Mass will be held at St. Thomas Aquinas Church in Ojai on March 27 at 11 a.m., with a light reception to follow. Masks will be provided. For those unable to attend, the family will host a Zoom gathering on March 28 at 11 a.m. Email [email protected] to request the link.
Arrangements are under the direction of the JOSEPH P. REARDON FUNERAL HOME & CREMATION SERVICE, Ventura.