R. David Lewis – Living Life in the Fast Lane (1944–2024)

R. David Lewis, 80, of Little Rock, Arkansas, rode off into the sunset (likely on a motorcycle or sailboat) on August 31, 2024. A man who lived life at full throttle, he leaves behind two children, Robbie and Courtney Lewis; two grandchildren, Dante and Marcella (who will likely inherit his need for speed); two sisters, Linda Lang and Kathy Sanders (who were probably always worried about him crashing something); and five nephews and nieces who were frequently reminded that life is short, so drive fast (but don't tell your parents!).

David graduated from the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, earning his Juris Doctor in 1968, before practicing law for nearly 50 years in Little Rock. He was a proud member of the bar in both Arkansas and California, because why have one legal jurisdiction when you can have two?

While law may have been his profession, it was his hobbies that truly got his motor running. If it was fast and potentially dangerous, David was all in. Motorcycles? Check. Planes? Absolutely. Boats, especially sailboats? You bet. If there was water nearby, David was probably speeding towards it, smiling ear-to-ear, because there's nothing quite like the thrill of the open ocean — especially the Pacific, which was his personal favorite.

A proud member of MENSA (because of course he was), the Arkansas Society of Free Thinkers, the Arkansas Bar Association, and the California Bar Association, David also enjoyed outrunning conventional wisdom and giving life a good run for its money. His weekends were spent speeding towards Galveston, but the Pacific Ocean held a special place in his heart — beautiful, powerful, and as unpredictable as David himself.

In David's world, life wasn't something you merely survived; it was something you lived at full speed. He'd want to be remembered as someone who never slowed down, who chased every sunset, and who occasionally laughed in the face of speed limits. So raise a glass, rev your engine, and remember: life's too short to drive slow.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Pulaski County Humane Society — or just go buy yourself a motorcycle.