[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 13]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 18231]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   THE HONORABLE CHARLES L. LEWIS III

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. SUSAN A. DAVIS

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Monday, September 13, 2004

  Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to 
and honor the life of Charles L. Lewis III.
  Charles Lewis was a leader in the San Diego community, the city that 
I am so proud to represent in the Congress. During his 37 years of 
life, Charles contributed so much to the citizens of San Diego. With 
his passing on August 8, 2004, our city has lost one of its great 
heroes.
  Charles's life is that classic story of one of the kids that made 
good. He grew up in the neighborhoods of Skyline and Paradise Hills in 
San Diego, where he was known by his friends as Chucky. At the time, 
these were tough, working class neighborhoods that were often forgotten 
by the officials elected to represent them.
  Through hard work, talent, and grace, Chucky grew into a strong young 
man. He graduated from Morse High School and went on to receive a 
bachelor's degree from San Diego State University.
  It was at this time, Mr. Speaker, that Chucky came to be known as 
Charles, and he came to serve this body. He spent his senior year of 
college interning for then Congressman Jim Bates and began what would 
be a lifetime of service to San Diego.
  Recognizing his intelligence and dedication, Charles was hired by 
Councilman George Stevens to serve his constituents in the City's 
Fourth Council District, the very neighborhoods Charles grew up in. 
Over the next 12 years, Charles spent every day of his life serving the 
Fourth District. Remembering where he came from, he resolved to never 
let his neighborhoods be forgotten by City Hall again.
  While working for Councilman Stevens, Charles developed many 
innovative programs that empowered and inspired the people of the 
Fourth District. He helped create 23 Neighborhood Councils that gave 
residents a voice to take back their neighborhoods from crime and 
blight. He implemented graffiti control and tree replacement programs 
that helped beautify his communities. As a result of his 
accomplishments, he was promoted up the chain until he became the 
Councilman's Chief of Staff.
  In 2002, after 10 years of effective leadership as a civil servant, 
Charles was chosen by his community to represent them on the San Diego 
City Council. His campaign platform was called the Three Rs: 
Reputation, Relationships, and Results.
  On the Council, Charles made a name for himself as a strong advocate 
for neighborhoods and he built a reputation of being tough on crime. 
His efforts helped San Diego achieve the lowest crime rate among the 10 
largest cities in America in 2003. This was a statistic that I know 
made Charles very proud.
  While on the Council, Charles was known for his quiet strength. He 
was often reserved in public meetings, only to become vocal and 
outspoken when issues related to his neighborhoods were brought 
forward. He was a fighter.
  He also wasn't afraid to take unpopular positions. Although an 
elected representative of the City of San Diego, Charles remained an 
avid Oakland Raiders fan--to the dismay of many San Diego Charger 
supporters.
  Mr. Speaker, because of his deep roots in the community; because of 
his strength of character; because he never forgot where he came from 
or who elected him to serve; and because of his strong faith in God, 
Charles was beloved in the Fourth District and throughout San Diego.
  Sadly, Charles Lewis died suddenly last month at the age of 37. He is 
survived by his wife Carlette, his mother Rosemary Pope, his father 
Charles Lewis II, and his sister Charis. And he is also survived by the 
over 160,000 San Diegans that called Charles their Councilman.
  I am sad that I will no longer see Charles when I return to my 
district. That we won't run into one another at annual Juneteenth 
celebrations, community fish-frys and traditional groundbreaking and 
ribbon-cutting ceremonies. And I regret that San Diego will not have 
his leadership to guide us in the years ahead.
  But, I am certain that Charles' memory will live on through his 
contributions to the community. Today, the Neighborhood Councils he 
helped create still meet. The trees he helped plant continue to grow. 
The lives he touched go on. And the neighborhoods he helped revitalize 
flourish.
  We will all miss Charles L. Lewis III.

                          ____________________