Obituary: Lewis Wilson

Lewis Wilson

Mesa, Ariz.

Lewis Jack Wilson, age 71, of Mesa, Ariz., died August 9, 2023 of complications from stage IV metastatic prostate cancer.

Lew Wilson was born September 21, 1951 in New Rockford, N.D., to Elizabeth (Mortensen) and Harford Wilson. He grew up there, graduating from New Rockford High School in 1970. He was an athlete lettering in all sports. He was a proud "Fighting Sioux," graduating from the University of North Dakota in 1974.

Upon graduation, Lew began his banking career working for the First State Bank of New Rockford (now Bank Forward). In 1976, Lew accepted a loan officer position with the Bank of North Dakota in Bismarck. Lew married in 1979 and in that same year was promoted to VP and manager of the Loan & Correspondent Banking Division of BND. In 1984, Lew and his wife relocated to Fargo where Lew became VP and manager of the Commercial Loan Department at Fargo National Bank.

Lew left banking in 1986 to pursue entrepreneurial opportunities. In 1987, Lew and his wife moved to Arizona and opened and operated a Sport Shack franchise until 1991. Lew then worked as a Mortgage Banker until moving back to Fargo in late 1993.

Lew obtained his real estate salesperson license in 1993 and owned and operated a business brokerage company called the Lewis Company affiliated with Business Brokers Network out of Dallas, Texas. In 1998 Lew obtained his real estate broker's license and divorced that same year.

In 2003 Lew and two business partners opened an Uno's Chicago Grill franchise in West Fargo. In 2005, Lew closed the Lewis Company and started selling residential real estate as a broker associate with Arnie & Mary Realtors (later AM Realtors).

In 2007, the franchise agreement was terminated and Lew and business partner Tim Olson re-concepted the restaurant and, with the help of GM Gordy Ferkul, turned Spitfire Bar & Grill into one of the most successful and award-winning restaurants in the Fargo metro area. Lew stopped selling real estate in 2015 and fully retired on March 1, 2018 after selling his interest in Spitfire.

In 2013, Lew became a "snow-bird" to indulge his life-long love of golf, splitting his time between his homes in Fargo and Mesa, Ariz.

In 2021, Lew became a full-time Arizona resident. He married his wife Kathryn Schwab on December 4, 2022.

As a member of the Fighting Sioux Club and later Champions Club, Lew gave generously to UND for scholarships and was a major donor to the High Performance Center. He also created an endowment for entrepreneurship for the College of Business and Public Administration.

Lew was preceded in death by his father in 1954 and his mother in 2012. He is survived by his wife and best friend, Kate; his sister, June Hagen of Helena, Mont.; nieces Sara Hull of Missoula and Jenny McJannet of Helena, and their children.

At Lew's request, no service will be held. A celebration of life will be held at the Spitfire Bar & Grill in Fargo at a later date. Cremation has taken place.

Memorials may be sent to Women's Auxiliary Cemetery Association, New Rockford, N.D.