Phyllis Louise Rowland Lewis, 81, of Athens, died Wednesday, Aug. 29, 2007, at her home after a long battle with cancer.

She was born Nov. 14, 1925 in McMinn County, where she lived for most of her life. She was a daughter of the late Henry Thomas Sr. and Anna Lee Lipps Rowland. She worked for The Daily Post-Athenian for several years and for several banks in the Athens area. She was active in the Auxiliary of the United Transportation Union and was a member of Cedar Springs United Methodist Church in Athens.

Survivors include her husband, Herschel M. Lewis of Athens; one son, James \"Jim\" Lewis of Atlanta, Ga.; two daughters, Lynda Lewis of Athens, and Doris Lewis Jones and her husband, Ron, of Vonore; three grandchildren, Stephanie McCormack and husband, Jamey, of Athens, Benjamin Bolden and wife, Nikki, of Maryville, and Jonathan Lewis Jones of Vonore; one sister, Elizabeth Rowland Kirschner and husband, Joe, of Atlanta, Ga.; two brothers, Henry Thomas Rowland Jr. and wife, Patsy, of Louisville, Ky., and Charles Edward Rowland and wife, Faye, of Etowah; and several nieces and nephews.

Graveside services will be 11 a.m. Friday at Cedar Grove Cemetery.

The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Laycock-Hobbs Funeral Home.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial contributions be made to Adventa Hospice, P.O. Box 1497, Athens, TN 37371.

Those unable to attend may send condolences to mailto:condolences@laycock-hobbs.com