Robert Johns Lewis, developer, family man
The world lost one of its finest Tuesday, May 20, 2025, when Robert Johns “Bob” Lewis, 86, of Oakton, Va., and Vero Beach, Fla., passed away peacefully surrounded by family from complications with diabetes. We remember him as a respected community leader, a trusted friend, a devout Christian, and a dedicated family man whose gentle spirit and steady presence will be deeply missed.
Bob was a pioneer and a visionary in the residential and commercial building and developing industry for the last 60 years. He was a mentor to many and a pillar of the community, with a respect for nature and history that always shone through in his work. A preservationist at heart, Bob painstakingly protected and restored historic structures throughout Virginia, Delaware, Maryland, Utah, and Florida. Whether it was a train station, seed mill, log cabin, church, or dilapidated old house, Bob always found a way to honor these buildings’ pasts by giving them new life.
Bob started in the real estate world working with Carl Freeman Companies, developing in Montgomery County, Md., and laying the groundwork for Sea Colony in Bethany Beach. He branched out on his own, starting his own building and development company, RJL Associates Inc. Over the course of his career, he developed over one hundred subdivisions, built thousands of homes, and developed several dozen commercial complexes in the D.C. Metro Area. He received many prestigious awards for his environmentally conscious designs. His projects include: Pleasant Valley, Leigh Mill Meadows, Miller Heights, Colvin Run Meadows, Oakmarr, Hickory Creek, Mantua Office Park, and Olde School at Main Street in Fairfax County, Va.; Blue Church Lodge in Park City, Utah; Stoneleigh Golf & Country Club, Village Case, Hill High Marketplace and Tuscarora Mill in Loudoun County, Va.; and, most recently, Angler’s Nest, Lewes Ice House and Roosevelt Landing in Lewes.
He was a best friend to many and admired by more. Anyone who knew him knew how much he loved golf, never missing a chance to spend time with his golf buddies on or off the green. Likewise, his passion for gardening was unmatched, and he always kept a shovel in his trunk for transplanting azalea bushes, jonquils, and anything else that caught his eye from the side of the road (even while wearing a tux, Bob would bend down to pull a weed from the sidewalk). He loved old movies, especially westerns, and was proud of his brief cameo (feet only) in a battleground scene of “Raintree County,” when Elizabeth Taylor and Montgomery Clift filmed in Danville, Ky., in 1957. An avid sports fan, he was big on Jack Nicklaus (who he had a special opportunity to play with), the former Washington Redskins, UK Wildcats basketball, and especially loved cheering on his grandchildren at their games.
Most importantly, Bob cherished spending time with his family and his nightly dinner dates with the love of his life, Judy. Bob might have been a burly bear of a guy but he was quite soft on this gal, surprising her with limo rides, flowers, trips to their favorite haunts in New England, and most recently, a breakout (with the help of his son) from a medical rehabilitation facility to join her Mother’s Day dinner. The man was rich with love, and the world is a far better place because of him.
Born in Lexington, Ky., Aug. 26, 1938, and raised in nearby Georgetown, Bob was the firstborn to Homer and Hazel (Johns) Lewis. He is preceded in death by his parents; brothers, Homer and James P.; and sister, Diana. A graduate of Garth High School, he was salutatorian and president of his 1956 class. Bob was also an Eagle Scout, a varsity football and tennis player, and a lead actor in school plays. He earned a BS in civil engineering from University of Kentucky, where he was also on the tennis team and a member of Kappa Sigma fraternity.
One of his greatest achievements in this wonderful life was marrying his college sweetheart, Judy, in 1960 in Lexington, Ky. After graduation, they relocated to Norfolk, Va., and later Washington, D.C., when Bob entered the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey. Bob and Judy made lifelong friends in D.C., moving around the beltway before settling in McLean, Va., where they raised four children. He is survived by his wife of 65 years, Judith Campbell Lewis of Oakton, Va.; his four children, Meredith Thomas of Lewes, Elaine Nolan of Corte Madera, Calif., Campbell (Kathleen) Lewis of McLean, Va., and Melanie Lewis of Burbank, Calif.; his 10 grandchildren (who affectionately knew him as “BobBob”), Oscar and Vera Thomas, Graham, Campbell and Cooper Nolan, Caroline, Sam and Maeve Lewis, and Sally and Roy Barchowsky; his sister, Patsy Lewis of Georgetown, Ky.; nieces, Lynn Drager and Kelly Thompson; and nephews, Dr. Joe McMillin and Jesse McMillin.
A memorial service celebrating Bob’s life will take place at noon, Monday, June 30, at Stoneleigh Golf & Country Club, Round Hill, Va., as we honor the kindness, generosity, and love that Bob had for his family and friends that will forever remain in our hearts.
In lieu of flowers, consider a donation in Bob’s memory to his family’s scholarship that was established in 1988 to provide financial assistance based on need and academic merit to any regularly enrolled student of Georgetown College, engage.georgetowncollege.edu/register/LewisFamilyEndowment.
