On the recordMarch 8, 2023
It is my honor to rise and celebrate the life of one of the greatest Florida men to have ever lived: Lewis Bear. Lewis was a legend for all times. He was a prolific businessman and an even more prolific philanthropist. Lewis was CEO of Florida's oldest privately held company, the Lewis Bear Company. It was started by his grandfather in 1876. Lewis grew this small family grocery distribution business to one of Florida's largest beer distributors. If you have cracked open a beer in my district, there is a pretty good chance that Lewis moved it. Lewis' generosity did not stop with libations. Through the Lewis Bear Family Foundation, he donated tens of millions of dollars to local organizations and charities, including hospitals and nonprofits focused on curing childhood cancer. He single-handedly protected the Deepwater Horizon oil spill settlement funds for northwest Florida and saw that the money was used for lasting economic development. I know that Lewis will be sorely missed by our family and by his family, especially by his wife, Belle, and their three children: Lewis, Cindi, and David. Northwest Florida will never be the same without Lewis Bear. We are certainly grateful that we had my friend for 82 years. ____________________
