Evan Joseph Lewis, age 16, of Prairie du Sac, died Wednesday, Dec. 2, 2009, in an automobile accident. He is the son of Bradley Lewis and Angela (Foye) Lewis.
Evan was born at Meriter Hospital in Madison on June 22, 1993, and spent his entire life as a resident of the Sauk Prairie area, enjoying the love and companionship of his nine cousins and five siblings, Justin, 19; Jenna, 13; Hailey, 12; Olivia, 3; and Braedyn, nearly 1. Evan's grandparents, Gary and Ruthanne Lewis of Merrimac, and Richard and Gloria Foye of North Freedom, encouraged Evan's love of family and of the outdoors, especially fishing, hunting, and family days camping or boating on the lake.

Evan's favorite pastime by far was his love of skateboarding. From a young age, influenced heavily by his adoring older brother, Evan began to grind the curbs and ride the rails. Before long, the boys had convinced their dad that a driveway-sized ramp was a necessary addition to their home. In Evan's world, bigger was better; so he took his love of boarding to the ski hills. On the slopes, riding his board, Evan was free and happy. It was during these times that Evan knew life was good and learned to live it fully.

At school, Evan found a great friend in his favorite teacher, Shawn Anderson. Shawn recognized and appreciated Evan's quiet sense of humor and peaceful disposition; she made school possible for him. For Evan, school was about making friends and building relationships. And using the gift of conversation that he had received from his two grandfathers, Evan welcomed new friends like family, always offering attention and support, two necessities in all our lives.

Evan's most unique characteristic, however, was his personality. It was like no other: the charm of his smile and the smooth, easy delivery of his speech captured the affection of his friends and family. He was completely loved by his family and deeply bonded to his friends, especially his best friend Nick. His manner let others know that life is not something to rush or to overly prepare for - life is a happening; it reveals itself when it is ready. Evan lived his life as a happening, and lost his life by chance or by God's will, not by plan. He lived his life on his own terms, for he could, because he knew he was loved. He was loved, profoundly and unconditionally, by his parents, his grandparents, his aunts and uncles, his cousins and his friends. Each met Evan on different terms, and each loved him in his or her own way.

In the brevity of his life, Evan touched lives. His cousins Megan and Jacob basked in the lazy days of summer with him, laying on the skate ramp, sipping sodas and talking about anything and nothing. His cousin Dante took to the woods and lakes with him; scouring the hills of Richland Center for the trophy buck and trolling the shores of Lake Wisconsin looking to "snag a big one." His three little sisters, Jenna, Hailey and Olivia, idolized their big brother, like a rock star - his flowing hair, dazzling eyes and beautiful smile. His older brother, Justin, held Evan close to him; in celebration or in suffering, the two were inseparable - forever bound as devoted brothers.

But more than all this love put together, Evan was loved most by his parents; and Evan knew that. His relationship with his parents was not always perfect, but it was always honest and caring. As Evan encountered some of life's growing pains, Brad and Angee put their lives on hold to help him to recapture his life. Their love for their little boy never wavered, only deepened, as Evan grew into a young man.

Evan is survived by his parents, Brad (Monica) Lewis of Prairie du Sac; Angela (Foye) Lewis of Prairie du Sac; his siblings, Justin, Jenna, Olivia, Hailey and Braedyn; his aunts and uncles, Brett and Deanne Lewis of Cincinnati, Ohio, Brian and Joni Lewis of Sauk City, Chuck and Lori Fiene of Prairie du Sac, and Wayne Foye of Sauk City; his cousins, Nicole, Casey and Mathew Lewis of Cincinnati, Josh, Amber, Megan and Jacob Fiene of Prairie du Sac, and Dante and Ashley Lewis of Sauk City; his grandparents, Gary and Ruthanne Lewis of Merrimac, and Richard and Gloria Foye of North Freedom; his great-grandmother, LaVera Page of Sauk City; his friends, young and old; and, finally, his pets, Anna, his dog Angel, his cat, and the little dog he named "Levi" because his mom may have called him "Cupcake."

Evan was preceded in death by his great-grandparents, Joseph and Louise Schmidt, Tom and Marian Lewis, Roger Mielke, and Harlen and Lucille Foye; and step-great-grandfather, Edward Page.

Funeral services, officiated by Father Lawrence Bakke, will be held on Monday, Dec. 7, 2009, at THE SAUK PRAIRIE RIVER ARTS CENTER, 105 Ninth St., Prairie du Sac, at 3 p.m. A visitation will be held for family and friends from 1 p.m. until 3 p.m. Burial will be in the Prairie du Sac Cemetery.

"I will live the moment, never confined to the past or present - limited only by the amount of love in my heart and in the world. I am free."