It is with great remorse that I inform you of the loss of one of our 
colleagues in Africana/Black Studies, Dr. Margaret Wade-Lewis.
 
http://www.legacy.com/RECORDONLINE/Obituaries.asp?Page=Notice&PersonID=138118514 <http://www.legacy.com/RECORDONLINE/Obituaries.asp?Page=Notice&PersonID=138118514>  
 
 
Margaret Wade-Lewis, a godly woman, a bearer of much fruit during the 
years that were allotted to her, and a woman of dignity; the adored 
third child and second daughter of The Rev. John E. Williams Sr. and 
Mrs. Marjorie Clark Williams, parents who reared their nine children in 
the fear and admonition of the Lord, has passed into life eternal.
 
She grew up in Haskell, OK where during her early life, her giftedness 
in writing, literature, speaking and dramatic interpretation began to 
find expression. She cherished her parents and enjoyed growing up in a 
large active family of sisters and brothers as they became part of 
several congregations pastored by their father in small Oklahoma towns. 
At the age of eight, she gave her heart and life to Christ and was 
baptized by her father, the late Rev. J.E. Williams, Sr. She graduated 
from the Booker T. Washington High School with honors and began her 
academic career at Langston University in Langston, OK.
 
After completing her undergraduate and graduate studies and making 
enriching contributions at several universities, she became a member of 
the New Paltz community, where she met and married her beloved David 
Lewis, and they reared their family, and for years provided a welcoming 
home for additional children who needed loving parents on a short or 
long term basis.
 
For the past 25 years, she and her family have been members of the 
Ebenezer Baptist Church in Poughkeepsie (The Rev. E. Clayton Wade, 
Pastor), where she served as Superintendent of the Church School, Chair 
of the Board of Christian Education Ministry, teacher for the 
Junior/High Class, and Director of Black History Month programs. As 
Chair of the Christian Education Ministry, she and other board members 
organized many of the educational programs at the church, including Dr. 
Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Commemoration and Scholarship and 
Recognition Sunday.
 
Up until a few days ago, she immersed herself in the work that she loved 
on behalf of the students of SUNY New Paltz, continuing to read and give 
feedback on research papers from her hospital bed. Her professional role 
was Department Chair and Associate Professor of Linguistics and 
Literature in the Department of Black Studies at SUNY New Paltz. A 
related role, which she valued highly was that of Mentor to the students 
of the Scholar's Mentorship Program of which she was the Director and 
one of the founding members. The SMP was a networking initiative for 
general admission students of color and interested students of all 
ethnic groups.
 
Her academic credentials and achievements were numerous, multifaceted 
and outstanding. In 1988, she was the first African-American woman to 
earned a Ph.D. in Linguistics from New York University. She also earned 
a Bachelor's degree in English from Langston University, Langston, OK, 
where she graduated Summa Cum Laude, and a Master's degree in English 
from Oklahoma State University.
 
Her range of experience as a college level instructor and professor 
before coming to SUNY New Paltz included teaching English and Black 
Studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara, CA; University 
of Nebraska, Omaha, NE; University of Texas, Austin, TX, and being an 
independent researcher at Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, NY.
 
She began her association with SUNY New Paltz in 1974 as an Assistant 
Professor in the Black Studies Dept. For the next 35 years and up until 
just a few days ago, she performed in roles as varied as teaching, 
administering the Affirmative Action Program, directing the Linguistics 
program and directing the Scholar's Mentorship Program. In addition to 
directing the mentorship program, she was advisor to several student 
organizations, including African Women's Alliance, the New Day Theater 
Ensemble, and the Xi Mu Chapter of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority.
 
Through the years, she was the recipient of numerous fellowships, awards 
and grants. To name a few: appointed Faculty Fellow in the Office of 
Folk Life Program, Smithsonian Institute, Washington, DC, summer of 
1986; received the National Endowment for the Humanities Travel to 
Collections Grant for Archival Research in the Turner Collection, 
Northwestern University Library, Evantston, IL, spring of 1993; received 
Sabbaticals, SUNY New Paltz, in the spring of 1993, spring of 2002 and 
spring of 2009; received Grant for Research and Creative Projects Award 
for 2003-04, and was appointed to the Board of the Reizod Foundation, 
December 2003; received Exemplary Program Award for the Scholar's 
Mentorship Program from Pi Chapter of La Unidad Latina, Lambda Upsilon 
Lambda Fraternity, April 2004; Exemplary Advisor Award from Voices of 
Unity Gospel Choir at its 25th Anniversary Concert, November 2005, 
others in 2006, 2007 and 2008; received 2009 Salute to Black Achievers 
Award for Education at the Annual Black Achievers Celebration, Beulah 
Baptist Church, Poughkeepsie, February 2009.
 
Dr. Wade-Lewis wrote and had published hundreds of journal articles, 
book reviews and other writings. Just a few of her publications are: 
"The Black Aesthetic in the Black Novel," co-authored by Melvin Wade; 
"The Censorship of Black Books," Lorenzo Dow Turner: First African 
American Linguist, "The Impact of the Turner/Herskovits Connection on 
Linguistics and Anthropology," "Beryl Bailey: Africanist Woman Linguist 
in New York State," "The Status of Semantic Items from African Languages 
in English," "Lorenzo Dow Turner: Beyond Gullah Studies," and several 
critical articles on African American women writers, among them, Toni 
Morrison.
 
Her book, Lorenzo Dow Turner: Father of Gullah Studies , the first 
full-length biography on Turner (the University of South Carolina Press, 
2007) won the College Language Association 2008 Creative Scholarship Award.
 
Keynote speaker, lecturer, workshop leader, discussion leader, mistress 
of ceremonies, conference organizer, panelist, fiscal designee, chair, 
committee secretary/treasurer, thesis advisor, director, host are roles 
and designations that she fulfilled as member of the university 
community, and as she reached out to work with church, community, school 
districts and others. Her professional associations were many, including 
the New York African Studies Association and the Linguistic Society of 
America, College Language Association.
 
Her professional works that were in progress included: "African Naming 
Practices in the Novels of Octavia Butler," and "Fatima Massaquoi: 
Liberian Woman Anthropologist."
 
Dr. Wade-Lewis believed in doing whatever her hands found to do. She was 
past Chair of the New Paltz School District Task Force for Change and 
Diversity; secretary of the advocacy group, Concerned Parents of New 
Paltz, a member of the National Association for the Advancement of 
Colored People (NAACP), and served as a board member of the Reizod 
Foundation, an organization founded to give new shoes to children in 
need, for which she chaired the Volunteer Committee.
 
In her personal life, she was known for her many kindnesses to family 
and friends. It gave her joy to lavish thoughtful and sometimes 
expensive gifts on her husband, children, sisters and brothers, and she 
did not forget her friends. She loved preparing elegant dinners for her 
family, special occasion events for her university colleagues and 
writing "birthday stories for her siblings. She, along with family 
traveled great distances to support family and friends on their special 
occasions. She was in the process of planning an Alaskan cruise to 
salute her daughter in celebration of a milestone birthday in the 
summer. She organized family meetings for her siblings, and when there 
was a crisis in the family, she was the planner of the prayer vigil, 
conference call, financial assistance or whatever was needed.
 
Her favorite hymn, "I'm Gonna Trust in the Lord," and favorite scripture 
Philippians 4:13, "I can do all things through Christ which 
strengtheneth me."
 
Despite many odds, she lived her life just that way with that "God kind 
of faith."
 
Persons whom she loved deeply and who now mourn her loss include her 
husband David Lewis, retired social studies teacher, and current City 
Commissioner, New Paltz, and three children, Chaka Wade, New York City 
financial consultant, Esi Lewis, New York City Assistant District 
Attorney and Solomon Lewis, New Paltz, NY railroad contractor.
 
Her siblings, Lillian W. Lancaster (Carl), Orlando, FL; Rev. John E. 
Williams (Annette), Tulsa, OK; Richard Williams, Tulsa, OK; Dr. James 
Williams, Dickson, ND; Dr. Carolyn Williams Bell (Cliff), Marietta, GA; 
Mary W Smith (Gary), Bakersfield, CA; Marjorie Ray (Therman), Porter, 
OK; Steven C. Williams, Kildeer, IL; beloved JR Williams family 
descendants of aunts, uncles, cousins and families, beloved Clark family 
cousins, nieces, nephews, host of professional colleagues, special 
friends, church family, cherished students of SUNY New Paltz, young 
people who became part of her extended family through the years, 
professional colleagues in organizations across the U.S. and the world.
 
Though the voice of wisdom that she possessed is now silent, the loving 
heart filled with caring and compassion is now still, an advocate for 
all who need is no longer among us, but a rich legacy of achievement, 
reaching out, making a positive difference in every situation will 
continue to inspire those who knew and loved her.
 
In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the American Cancer 
Society, or to the MRP Million Endowment Scholarship Campaign ( 
http://npfwmilliondollarendowment.org/ <http://npfwmilliondollarendowment.org/>  ), SUNY New Paltz Foundation, 1 
Hawk Drive, HAB 501, New Paltz, New York 12561.
 
 
Finalized details concerning Dr. Wade-Lewis' Funeral Services
 
WAKE
Tuesday January 5, 2010
viewing from 2-4pm then from 6-8pm
 
@Rhodes Funeral Homes
43 Fairview Avenue
Poughkeepsie, NY 12601
ph: 845-452-2894
845-452-6143
http://www.rhodesfuneralhomes.com <http://www.rhodesfuneralhomes.com/> 
 
 
 
FUNERAL SERVICES
Wednesday January 6, 2010
 
SUNY NEW PALTZ ATHLETIC AND WELLNESS CENTER
NEW PALTZ, NY 12561
(845) 257-3914
 
Viewing from 10am-12pm
 
Funeral beginning @12pm