Mazel Toy!

C entenarian

An independent Sam Lewis
marks his 100 years
with music, puzzles and family.

SUZANNE CHESSLER
Special to the Jewish News

A

s people around the globe
plan for the new millennium,
Sam Lewis celebrates a life
that is about to touch three
centuries. He was born Nov. 7, 1899.
"It's been a good life, and I'm
looking forward to a longer life,"
says Lewis, whose 100th birthday
dinner party was planned by daugh-
ter and son-in-law Norma and
Meyer Chudnow of Oak Park.
Attending were family now settled in
California, son and daughter-in-law
Marshall and Leslie Lewis and
grandchildren Paula and Joe Yoder
and Linda and John Wiss.
Lewis, who manages to stay on his
own in Oak Park with the help of Meals
on Wheels, used to book annual plane
trips west to visit family. In recent years,
however, he has felt more comfortable
having them do the traveling. Last year,

he decided to stop driving and left the
road with an accident-free record.
"I never smoked, drank alcohol or
took dope," Lewis explains as important
reasons for his longevity. He also eats
lots of fruits and vegetables, avoids red
meat and takes B complex vitamins as
well as A, C and E. His sister, Sarah
Hirst, lived to 98, also independently
until a hip fracture incapacitated 'her.
"My dad reads Prevention magazine
and gives me a shopping list of vita-
mins," says Norma Chudnow, a piano
teacher who inherited her father's
musical interests. "On weekends, when
he doesn't have Meals on Wheels, he'll
cook some easy dishes for himself. He
likes desserts and will make muffins
and pumpkin pie from mixes."
Lewis, born in Philadelphia,
found long-time employment at a
Ford plant in Michigan, where he
handed out tools to fellow workers.
At night, he'd put on a tuxedo and
play saxophone with the Detroit

Sam Lewis
works on a jig-
saw puzzle.

Concert Band at Belle Isle or with
smaller groups at weddings and bar
mitzvahs.
For a while, he had his own band. At
times, he played with Sam Barnett.
The playing just came naturally,"
says Lewis, who keeps sheet music on
a baby grand piano in his living room
and dabbles at the keyboard when the
mood strikes him. The Shadow of Your
Smile sits on the music stand as one of
his favorite songs because it reminds
him of his late wife, Ida.
Although retired from performing
professionally, Lewis maintains his
membership with the Detroit Federation
of Musicians because of the organiza-
tion's insurance programs. In recent
years, he has attended High Holy Day

services at the Jimmy Prentis Morris
Jewish Community Center in Oak Park.
"I enjoy watching sports on televi-
sion and root for all the home teams,"
says Lewis, who is surrounded by
paintings and ceramic pieces made by
his architect son. "I think the Lions
will do well this year because they've
made some improvements." Lewis also
enjoys jigsaw puzzles and usually keeps
one on the kitchen table.
He subscribes to many magazines'
and reads Sports Illustrated cover to
cover.
Calm and unimposing, Lewis offers
one bit of advice for the good life:
"As long as you get along with
your husband or wife, everything else
will.be OK," he says. 7

•

1999

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