Obituary of Rosa Anita Marie Lewis

Rosa Anita Marie Lewis, age 94, died February 23, 2016. Anita was born August 10, 1921 in Morgantown on a fruit and vegetable farm where the Morgantown Airport is now located. She was preceded in death by her husband, former Morgantown Chief of Police John W. Lewis, by her parents, Giuseppe and Rosa Perroots, two grandsons, Joseph Demasi, Jr. and John Mario Demasi; her brother, Phillip Perroots and his wife Alma, her sister Charlotte Delucka and husband John, her brother Umberto Perroots and wife Lee, and an infant sister, Ida Perroots. She graduated from St. Francis de Sales High School and attended Morgantown Business College. After her children were grown, she obtained her real estate license, and she achieved certification from the Graduate Realtor Institute. During her 31 year career in real estate before her retirement at age 85, she was part owner in Morgantown Realty, was the broker of Anita Lewis Realty, and was later associated with Horizon Realty. She was a world wide traveler and a voracious reader of classic literature. Among her hobbies were sewing, cooking and baking. She was known for baking nearly 700 dozen traditional Italian cookies and delivering them to friends and family each Christmas season. She studied tailoring under the tutelage of Lee Genscoy and made her own clothes. She was active in St. Francis De Sales Parish as a Eucharistic minister, a former member of the Finance Council, helped with cooking funeral dinners, and she volunteered at Monongalia General Hospital. She loved and enjoyed her family, friends and neighbors. In her retirement years she enjoyed knitting, crochet, conducting cooking lessons on Italian cuisine, and playing cards. She is survived by her three children, Louise (Joseph) Demasi, Burnadette (Edward) Efkeman and John (Tara) Lewis. She is also survived by 11 grandchildren, Tina (Dewayne) Lemons, Elizabeth (Kevin) Hinderliter, Lisa (Joseph) Kun, Denise Dennison, Edward (Hillery) Efkeman, Erica (Patrick) Saccoia, Emily (Jon) Griese, Jason (Karen) Efkeman, Sydney Lewis, Samuel Lewis and Adrienne Lewis. She is also survived by 17 great grandchildren and 2 great-great grandchildren. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the St. Francis de Sales Parish Memorial Fund, 1 Guthrie Lane, Morgantown, WV 26508. Family and friends will be received at Hastings Funeral Home, 153 Spruce Street, Morgantown, on Friday, March 4th from 6-8 p.m., A Scriptural Wake service with Sister Nancy White will be held at 7:30p.m. to conclude the evening service. and at St. Francis de Sales Parish, 1 Guthrie Lane, Morgantown on Saturday, March 5th from 9-11 a.m. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at the church on Saturday at 11 AM with Msgr. Anthony Cincinnati, STD, VE as celebrant.