Obituary for Lewington S. Ponder
COL (Ret) Lew Ponder was born in Syracuse, NY, on July 5, 1921 and would have been 100 years old in July. He was deeply devoted to his God, his country, his family and to his community.
After graduating from Syracuse University in 1943, Lew completed Army Officer Candidate School and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant of Infantry. He fought with the 71st Infantry Division in Austria and Germany during World War II. His unit liberated Gunskirchen concentration camp in Austria and he personally accepted the surrender of a German general officer. After the Korean War, Lew served as a Battle Group Executive Officer on the Korean DMZ. In 1968, he returned to combat in Vietnam, serving as a senior intelligence officer in Saigon during the Tet Offensive. Over a 32-year military career in which the family moved 14 times, Lew commanded infantry units from Company through Brigade. He received numerous awards and decorations, including the Combat Infantryman Badge, Bronze Star and two Legions of Merit.
Throughout life, Lew loved the outdoors and flying. As a youth and young man, he and his brother, Robert (Skipper), spent many summers at their parents' camp in the Adirondack Mountains hiking and canoeing. Lew learned to fly a Piper Cub and his interest in aviation led him to a job with American Airlines where he met the love of his life, Esther Wagner. They were married in 1947. Esther shared his love for adventure and travel. Taking advantage of military moves and other opportunities, they traveled throughout the United States, Europe and Central America. Lew continued to fly as a private pilot and achieved many advanced ratings, including Instructor Pilot.
After retiring from the Army in 1974, Lew and Esther moved to Florida for a short time. Deciding the weather was too hot, they moved to Blowing Rock, NC in 1976, and became Tar Heels for Life. He went into business with a retired Army friend, Mac Morris, doing home renovations and remodeling. He also made pieces of furniture the family still cherishes to this day. Recalling his love for the outdoors and becoming a true Mountain Man, Lew hiked every inch of Grandfather Mountain, volunteered to keep the Appalachian trail clear, and helped construct a portion of the Mountain to the Sea Trail. After many wonderful years they decided they wanted to be where they could look up at the mountains instead of being on top of the mountain. In March 1998 they moved to Givens Highland Farms in Black Mountain. They embraced their new community, while continuing to travel and finding new trails to hike.
A devoted Christian his entire life, Lew was personally involved in Army chapel programs and actively embraced leadership roles in his North Carolina Church Homes- First Baptist Church of Blowing Rock and, later, First Baptist Church of Black Mountain. He taught Sunday school at both churches and served as a Deacon in Blowing Rock. Lew was passionate about helping others less fortunate. He supported and loved volunteering at the Swannanoa Valley Christian Ministry in Black Mountain and was involved in the Samaritans Purse program in both of their North Carolina homes. They took advantage of being so close to the Billy Graham Training Center at The Cove and attended many programs and retreats.
Lew was the patriarch and father figure to the entire extended family. Lew and Esther were married for 61 years and the proud parents of Carol Ponder Bryant and Judi Ponder Crane. Lew was grandfather to Katherine Crane Blanchard and David Lewington Crane and great grandfather to Caris Reah Blanchard and Maeve Judith Blanchard. Lew always joked there may be some “outlaws” in our family but there are no “in-laws”. He loved his sons-in-law, Fred Bryant and Dave Crane, and his grandchildren's spouses, Dennis Blanchard and Jennifer Crane, as his own.
Lew Ponder loved these North Carolina mountains and all they offered- hiking, picking blackberries and huckleberries, observing and photographing wildlife, the spectacular sunrises and sunsets that made his heart soar, and thanking God each and every day for the gifts He has given.
Rest in Peace good and faithful servant.
COL (Ret) Ponder will be buried with full military honors at Western Carolina Veterans Cemetery at 12:00 PM on July 2, 2021. Lunch at Givens Highland Farms immediately thereafter with funeral service/celebration of life at 1:15 PM. In lieu of flowers the family asks that contributions be made in memory of Lew Ponder to Swannanoa Valley Christian Ministries, PO Box 235, Black Mountain, NC 28711.
After graduating from Syracuse University in 1943, Lew completed Army Officer Candidate School and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant of Infantry. He fought with the 71st Infantry Division in Austria and Germany during World War II. His unit liberated Gunskirchen concentration camp in Austria and he personally accepted the surrender of a German general officer. After the Korean War, Lew served as a Battle Group Executive Officer on the Korean DMZ. In 1968, he returned to combat in Vietnam, serving as a senior intelligence officer in Saigon during the Tet Offensive. Over a 32-year military career in which the family moved 14 times, Lew commanded infantry units from Company through Brigade. He received numerous awards and decorations, including the Combat Infantryman Badge, Bronze Star and two Legions of Merit.
Throughout life, Lew loved the outdoors and flying. As a youth and young man, he and his brother, Robert (Skipper), spent many summers at their parents' camp in the Adirondack Mountains hiking and canoeing. Lew learned to fly a Piper Cub and his interest in aviation led him to a job with American Airlines where he met the love of his life, Esther Wagner. They were married in 1947. Esther shared his love for adventure and travel. Taking advantage of military moves and other opportunities, they traveled throughout the United States, Europe and Central America. Lew continued to fly as a private pilot and achieved many advanced ratings, including Instructor Pilot.
After retiring from the Army in 1974, Lew and Esther moved to Florida for a short time. Deciding the weather was too hot, they moved to Blowing Rock, NC in 1976, and became Tar Heels for Life. He went into business with a retired Army friend, Mac Morris, doing home renovations and remodeling. He also made pieces of furniture the family still cherishes to this day. Recalling his love for the outdoors and becoming a true Mountain Man, Lew hiked every inch of Grandfather Mountain, volunteered to keep the Appalachian trail clear, and helped construct a portion of the Mountain to the Sea Trail. After many wonderful years they decided they wanted to be where they could look up at the mountains instead of being on top of the mountain. In March 1998 they moved to Givens Highland Farms in Black Mountain. They embraced their new community, while continuing to travel and finding new trails to hike.
A devoted Christian his entire life, Lew was personally involved in Army chapel programs and actively embraced leadership roles in his North Carolina Church Homes- First Baptist Church of Blowing Rock and, later, First Baptist Church of Black Mountain. He taught Sunday school at both churches and served as a Deacon in Blowing Rock. Lew was passionate about helping others less fortunate. He supported and loved volunteering at the Swannanoa Valley Christian Ministry in Black Mountain and was involved in the Samaritans Purse program in both of their North Carolina homes. They took advantage of being so close to the Billy Graham Training Center at The Cove and attended many programs and retreats.
Lew was the patriarch and father figure to the entire extended family. Lew and Esther were married for 61 years and the proud parents of Carol Ponder Bryant and Judi Ponder Crane. Lew was grandfather to Katherine Crane Blanchard and David Lewington Crane and great grandfather to Caris Reah Blanchard and Maeve Judith Blanchard. Lew always joked there may be some “outlaws” in our family but there are no “in-laws”. He loved his sons-in-law, Fred Bryant and Dave Crane, and his grandchildren's spouses, Dennis Blanchard and Jennifer Crane, as his own.
Lew Ponder loved these North Carolina mountains and all they offered- hiking, picking blackberries and huckleberries, observing and photographing wildlife, the spectacular sunrises and sunsets that made his heart soar, and thanking God each and every day for the gifts He has given.
Rest in Peace good and faithful servant.
COL (Ret) Ponder will be buried with full military honors at Western Carolina Veterans Cemetery at 12:00 PM on July 2, 2021. Lunch at Givens Highland Farms immediately thereafter with funeral service/celebration of life at 1:15 PM. In lieu of flowers the family asks that contributions be made in memory of Lew Ponder to Swannanoa Valley Christian Ministries, PO Box 235, Black Mountain, NC 28711.