Therefore if any man be in Christ he is a new creature. Old things are passed away; behold all things are become new. II Corinthians 5:17

Our beloved mother, sister, aunt, cousin and friend, Mrs. Mary Jean Lewis, transitioned from this life on Tuesday, January 6, 2015. She was born in Rockingham, NC to the late Mrs. Ressie (Brown) Polk and Mr. Johnny Polk on April 9, 1945. Mrs. Lewis was married to the late Mr. Franklin Earl Lewis.


Mary Jean attended the school system in East Polkton, NC. After graduating from school in 1965 at the age of 18 years old, she moved to Providence, RI to live with her late aunt and uncle Horace and Jessie Mc Carter.

In Polkton, Mary Jean attended the Mt. Zion Baptist Church where she received Christ at an early age.

After coming to Providence she later met the late Bishop Minnie Pearl Blackshire. Mary Jean became a member of the Spiritual Body of Christ Holiness Church under the Leadership of Bishop Minnie Pearl Blackshire. Mary Jean later acknowledged her call into the ministry and Bishop Blackshire licensed her to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Later Bishop Blackshire appointed Reverend Mary Jean Lewis the Pastor of the Spiritual Body of Christ Holiness Church.

After the Homegoing of the late Bishop Minnie Pearl Blackshire, Reverend Mary Jean Lewis then became a member of Beloved Tabernacle under the leadership of Bishop Howard Obey. It was under the Leadership and Hands of Bishop Howard Obey that Reverend Sister Mary Jean Lewis was ordained an Elder. At Beloved Tabernacle she served on the Pastor's Aid Committee, Usher's Board and the Building Fund Committee. When Bishop Obey became ill, he personally commissioned and entrusted Elder Lewis into the Hands of Sr. Pastor Patricia B. Smith of Faith and Deliverance Tabernacle of God. Elder Lewis was a member of Faith and Deliverance Tabernacle of God when the Lord called her Home.

Elder Mary Jean Lewis leaves to cherish her loving memory two sons, Robert Lee of West Warwick, RI and John Polk Gelinas of Pawtucket, RI; four sisters, Lillie (Sherman) Watkins of Norwood, NC; Minnie (Seabern) Staton and Velvet Sturdivant both of Polkton, NC and Catha (Freddie) Coleman of Wadesboro, NC; three brothers Jerry (Gloria) Polk of Marshville, NC, Jimmy (Rosalind) Polk of Polkton, and Ricky (Karen) Polk of Lancaster, SC; two aunts Janie Chambers of Polkton, NC and Ida Polk of Wadesboro, NC; seven grandchildren; three very devoted cousins, Vanessa (Kevin Soares) Mc Carter, Tasha (Dwayne) Stroman and T'arra Mc Carter Soares; and two very close friends, Betty Sturdivant and Francis Threats.

Elder Lewis is preceded in death by her siblings John Jr. and Eugene Polk, two nieces Karen and Jacquelin Polk and one nephew Ricky Lorenza Ried.

She also leaves behind a host of other relatives and friends. She will be greatly missed.


A Homegoing service will be held Monday, January 12th at 11am in the Keefe Funeral Home, Five Higginson Ave, Lincoln. Burial will be in North Burial Ground, Providence. Relatives and friends are invited and may visit starting at 10am.