In Memoriam

Marine collapses, dies in Phillipines

A Lawrenceburg man whose son collapsed and died last Thursday while serving in the Marine Corps was still waiting Monday for his son's body to be returned home.

“I don't know what's taking so long,” said Tim Lewis, whose son, Cpl. Timothy Dale Lewis, 20, died while training in the Philippines. “He's been ready to come back since Saturday, but they're waiting until next Saturday to send him.

“I could understand it if they still had stuff to do, but they've already done an autopsy and he's been embalmed.”

Lewis said Monday he had not been told what caused his son's death.

“We still don't really know. All we know is he was doing some type of training and collapsed.”

Timothy Dale Lewis was a trained cook for the Marines, but was on a training mission in the Philippines to prepare for a mission to Iraq, his father said.

“I was told from someone there with him that he was training to go to Iraq,” said his father, adding that his son was stationed in Okinawa, Japan.

“He wasn't supposed to go, but another Marine couldn't go, so he volunteered to go.”

Lewis said his son's death has been “very difficult” for his family. He said his son leaves behind a daughter, Alexi Jade Lewis, who lives in Alton with her mother.

“She just celebrated her first birthday on Saturday,” he said.

A fund has been established in his Alexi Lewis' name at Lawrenceburg National Bank, 128 S. Main St., Lawrenceburg, KY 40342.

Timothy Dale Lewis was a 2004 graduate of Anderson County High School, where he played football and basketball for the Bearcats. His father said he also enjoyed fishing.

Funeral services for Timothy Dale Lewis were pending at Ritchie & Peach Funeral Home in Lawrenceburg as of Monday afternoon. His father said once arrangements are announced, the public is welcome to attend the services.

Born March 27, 1986, Timothy Dale Lewis is survived by his mother, Julie Cox Coubert and her husband, James, of Lawrenceburg; his father and his father's wife, Hallie, of Lawrenceburg; his 1-year-old daughter, Alexi Jade Lewis of Lawrenceburg; maternal grandmother, Mildred Darnell and her husband, Ricky, of Lawrenceburg; maternal great-grandmother, Dorothy Maddox of Lawrenceburg; paternal grandmother, Betty Rakes of Willisburg; two brothers, Matthew Lewis and Christopher Cox, both of Lawrenceburg; and three sisters, Hope Cox, Jessica Lewis and MyKaylla Lewis, all of Lawrenceburg.

He was preceded in death by his maternal grandfather, David Dale Cox, and his paternal grandfather, Clayton Lewis.