Bernadette P. (Leonard) Lewis

Bernadette P. (Leonard) Lewis (A true friend, in deed, to all in need)

PORTVILLE- Bernadette P. (Leonard) Lewis of Portville passed away peacefully July 8th 2025, at Buffalo General Hospital after a brief illness. A devout Catholic, she succeeded in completing her earthly existence with honesty, kindness, grace, humor, patience, forgiveness, and her faith in earning everlasting life as a reward.

Born in October 1928 to John and Bridgette Leonard in Enniskillen, County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland, she was the second youngest in their family of seven boys and three girls.

Having first met in 1943 as he was training in Ireland for the Normandy invasion, she married Richard (Dick) Lewis of Portville in September 1945 when he returned to Ireland from France after being wounded there in combat with the 28th Infantry Regiment during World War Two.

Bernadette came to this country aboard the British ship S.S. James Parker with the entire passenger list comprised of "World War Two brides" minus their husbands who returned to the U.S separately with their military units. The ship left Belfast, Northern Ireland on April 27, 1946, arriving in New York City 10 days later where she was embraced by her husband and taken to her new home in Portville.

Bernadette was the youngest bride aboard the ship.

Bernadette was a joy to all who knew or met her. She was as beautiful a person and spirit within as she was in her appearance and presence before you. Her Irish wit, humor and charm could mesmerize you with many an Irish story, song or tale from long ago and her magnetic personality captivated all. She always had a song in her heart, a twinkle in her blue eyes and a radiant smile on her face. If you were having a blue day, it would soon be set aside during a visit with Bernadette!

With great amounts of mental and physical energy, Bernadette was a cheerful homemaker raising her children while also supporting her husband's Lewis Aluminum Sales business. She was an efficient bookkeeper, purchasing agent, warehouse coordinator and chief financial manager. Oh, and in her idle time she worked side by side with Dick doing strenuous physical labor as they alone designed and built their first home and, then again, when they later designed and built their large dream home. Her capacity for hard physical work was only surpassed by that of her husband as they labored to form the poured concrete wall foundation for the house that would feature oak and tile floors, plastered ceilings and walls, open beam dining and living room ceilings plus a fireplace and chimney made from Bluestone which they hand loaded into a dump truck , delivered home from Pennsylvania and then cut by hand each individual piece to fit together one by one and finally mortared together until smoke came out the top.

Bernadette pursued skilled perfection in everything demanding her talented attention, from her inherently tasteful interior decorating, her intricate stained-glass window creations, setting a table fit for a queen with her Belleek China and Waterford Crystal when entertaining her guests from all walks of life, to cooking, baking and, yes as noted, nitty-gritty masonry work.

Her Christian faith was the unwavering guiding light of her life and she instilled those values in her family with grace and conviction. Her wisdom brought light to darkness, her laughter filled the air and her strength carried her family through life's most difficult trials. Bernadette lived her life with kindness, humor, devotion and unwavering love for her family. She dedicated herself fully to those she cared for, always putting the needs of others before her own.

Bernadette is survived by her grieving children, Eugene Lewis of Portville, Veronica Sheahan of Skaneateles, New York, grandchildren John Vincent Sheahan III (Lisa) Syracuse New York, Brendan Desmond Sheahan (Crystal) and greatgrandchild Brendan Desmond Sheahan Jr., Auburn, New York. in addition to numerous nieces and nephews and their spouses both here and in Ireland, and one special sister-in-law Lynn Leonard and her children Margret and Kevin, Sulphur Louisiana.

She was predeceased by her husband of 55 years Richard, her parents and all of her nine brothers and sisters and eight of their spouses, all eight of Richard's brothers and sisters and their spouses, numerous nieces and nephews here and in Ireland and her special son-in-law Jake Sheahan.

At her request there will be no visitation and a Funeral Mass will be held at the convenience of the family. A private burial will be held at the family gravesite in Chestnut Hill Cemetery, Portville, New York. Arrangements are under the direction of the Guenther Funeral Home, Olean, New York. Memorials if desired may be made to the Portville Volunteer Fire Department, Portville, New York. Online condolences may be made at www.guentherfh.com