Lewis, Jennifer Marie

Jennifer Marie Lewis, 31, of Iowa City, Iowa, died Sunday, May 29, 2011, at Lake Macbride State Park from injuries sustained in an accident. Mass of the Resurrection will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, June 4, at St. James Catholic Church in Washington, Iowa, with Father Troy Richmond officiating. Visitation will begin at 3 p.m. Friday at the church, where the family will receive friends from 4 to 7 p.m. Prayer services will be held at 7 p.m. in the church. Private family interment will take place at a later date.

Memorials have been established for an Educational Scholarship in Jennifer's name.

Online condolences may be sent for Jennifer's family through the web at .

Jennifer was born July 5, 1979, in Washington, Iowa, the daughter of James and Catherine (Pokorny) Lewis. She graduated from Washington High School in 1997, and later graduated magna cum laude from Coe College in 2001. She attended the University of Kansas where she received her Master's Degree in Education in 2006 and later taught Chemistry at Olathe East High School in Olathe, Kan. Jennifer has resided in Iowa City since 2008 teaching chemistry at Cedar Rapids Kennedy High School since 2009.

Jennifer was infectiously cheerful and funny. She loved science, reading, music and dance. She made the best margaritas and salsa, and was known as the “Queen of Mean” when playing the card game hearts. She enjoyed entertaining, the outdoors, and, especially, spending time with family and friends. She was a joy.

She is survived by her parents, Jim and Cathy Lewis of Coralville; sister, Gretchen Lewis and Gretchen's fiance, Aaron Klein of Davenport, Iowa, and Burlington, Vt., respectively; boyfriend, Shawn Akbar of Iowa City; maternal grandmother, Mary Belle Pokorny of Harlan; paternal grandparents, J. Weldon and Bernice Lewis of Mankato, Minn.; as well as her beloved aunts, uncles, cousins and many friends.

She was preceded in death by her grandfather, Andrew Pokorny; and an aunt, Barbara Lewis Grootveld.