Darrell Elwood Lewis, Sr. 

October 4, 1938 – March 13, 2026

Darrell E. Lewis Sr., a loving husband, dedicated public servant, and veteran, passed away on March 13, 2026 in Hayden, Idaho.

He was born in Longview, Washington on Oct. 4, 1938 to Charles Theodore “Ted” Lewis and Alice Fraser Lewis of Rose Valley, WA. He graduated from Washington State University in 1962 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Forest Management before joining the Army. While stationed in Alabama he met his future bride, Carolyn Portis, and was married on July 26, 1963 at the home of Mary and Erskine Vandegrift in Birmingham, AL. In 1964, he moved his young family from Tuscaloosa, AL to Ann Arbor, MI to pursue his Master’s degree in Natural Resources.

After completing his MS at the University of Michigan, he began a long and distinguished career in federal service. For over 35 years, Darrell contributed his leadership skills to the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). He specialized in managing leisure activities on federally protected lands and waters. Whether he was managing public lands, overseeing critical infrastructure projects, or ensuring the safety of our waterways, Darrell’s work left a lasting impact on the American landscape.

For more than 20 years he served as the Chief of the Natural Resources Management branch at USACE Headquarters. In this role, he oversaw the management of natural resources across millions of acres of federal land and water. His contributions to public land management and recreation earned him several high-level professional honors:

• Meritorious Civilian Service Award: Granted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for his long-term impact on the agency.

• Recreation Legends Award: Awarded by the American Recreation Coalition, recognizing his status as a "legend" in the field of outdoor recreation.

• William Penn Mott, Jr. Award: Received from the National Society for Parks and Recreation for meritorious service.

• National Recreation Resource Leadership Award: Awarded by the National Association of Recreation Resource Planners.

After retiring from federal service, Darrell became a founding member of the Corps Foundation, serving as its Treasurer and eventually being named Founding Director Emeritus. In 2019, he received the Enduring Service Award from the Corps Foundation in recognition of his significant, long-term contributions to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' mission and the management of public lands and water.

He is survived by his wife Carolyn, and children, Barbara of Maryland, and Darrell Jr. of Virginia. He was preceded in death by his parents, Ted and Alice, and his brother Pierre Lewis of Kelso, Washington.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations can be made to the Corps Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to supporting USACE lakes and the people who enjoy them. To make a personal contribution toward the stewardship of our natural resources, please consider planting wildflowers or creating a garden dedicated to our pollinator friends. Darrell felt strongly about protecting these diverse insects, which he viewed as being an essential part of our planet’s ecosystem health. Darrell’s legacy of hard work, integrity, and service to our country will not be forgotten. Per his request, no services will be held.

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