Tribute Wall
Saturday
22
July
Memorial Visitation at Funeral Home
1:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Saturday, July 22, 2023
Selover Funeral Home
555 Georges Road
North Brunswick, New Jersey, United States
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Dot DeAngelo posted a symbolic gesture
Thursday, July 20, 2023
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A wonderful, kind, talented man with a heart of gold. He and Annette were always willing to give their time to perform when my Dani hosted any Alzheimer's benefits. His smile and laugh lit up the room. I am so blessed to have known him and call him a friend. Blessings and Peace.
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Lisa DePalma lit a candle
Wednesday, July 19, 2023
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it’s so hard to imagine life without you! I’ll never forget the day I first met you at NBHS where we brought our 5 year old girls and Sam for swimming lessons. Of course the first impression I got of you was the sweet and caring father you are as you gently chided your children how they could be Olympic swimmers…who knows? You’ve always been a dad to Victoria as you folded her into your family and taught her to love music and singing. You
were always the most kind and gentle man I ever knew. I admired your gardens, both the roses and the veggies. I always wished I had the green thumb you have. You and Annette raised two of the most easy going siblings I’ve ever seen. They love each other dearly as much as they love the two of you. The most beautiful family ever. They will miss you forever as will Victoria and i. Rest in Peace my friend.
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Kathy and Dan Sullivan posted a condolence
Sunday, July 16, 2023
Annette,
Our greatest memory of Wilbur was how you both came to our wedding in 1991 and made us feel so special by making time to be present and wish us well. Also how you and Wilbur danced and enjoyed yourselves that night! I can still see you both on the dance floor having a good time. We pray Wilbur is at peace and serenading the Angels! All our love to you and your children to support, love and enjoy your memories of Wilbur. Strength and prayers.
Kathy and Dan Sullivan
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Barbara Robertson posted a condolence
Friday, July 14, 2023
Prayers of strength to all of you. I met Wilbur at Metuchen Reformed Church. He was an amazing musician and a wonderful man. He will be missed. My sympathies to all.
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Robert Kinney posted a condolence
Friday, July 14, 2023
I am still processing this tremendous loss. Wilbur was a wonderful man, wonderful husband and father, and a wonderful friend. I first met him at a Bucks County Gilbert & Sullivan Society event in 2016, and we hit it off immediately. His physical size matched his personality. Big, open, funny and warm. I had the privilege of acting with him (and directing him - no easy feat!) in "Cox and Box" in 2017, where he played the exuberant and mischief-loving "Bouncer." Despite his large size and personality, he was as gentle and kind a person as one could know. He invariably greeted me with "Ah, my friend!" when we saw each other, and almost always with a warm embrace. He shared with me his love for stringed instruments, and I went to at least one of his concertos after our "Cox and Box" performance. He was not humble - oh no! He knew what talents he had. But neither did he act impressed with himself, and he was quick to praise a fellow performer. He was always generous with his time for me. And he never tired of talking about his wonderful wife, Annette, and their children. His marriage, and his kids, were clearly his greatest achievements.
I will miss him so much. My deepest condolences to his family and friends.
Bob Kinney
Doylestown, Pennsylvania
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Richard Slade uploaded photo(s)
Thursday, July 13, 2023
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He looked so forbidding the first time I saw him on the plane to Florida for the Sarasota Opera apprenticeship program. And when I found out he was my roommate I was worried. I needn’t have been. As we unpacked and he saw my very serious coffee accoutrements he opened up and we became fast friends fast.
It was a grueling program. Rehearse all day, show or runthrough every night. We would finish up well past 11 and stop at the Winn Dixie on our way back to the cottage where we were housed. We bought peanut butter and sat at the tiny table in the tiny kitchen eating out of the jar with spoons.
“This place really sucks.”
“Yeah. Pass the peanut butter!”
Every night.
It didn’t matter which of us said what first.
He was so much larger than life. 6’4 and stout. And so much personality! At a Traviata rehearsal the director, Nicola Rossi-Lemeni (yes, that one) called out, “hey, big guy!” and made Wilbur the bull for the matador chorus at Flora’s party. I have other stories about Nicola, for another time.
We sang and ate and ate and sang and somehow survived. Peanut butter pie at Yoder’s helped! And at the end of the season Annette came down—and they got married!
I moved to NYC that fall and was soon involved in Abduction from the Seraglio, with Wilbur directing and playing Osmin. Annette was Blondchen. Greg Gunder, Pedrillo; Michelle Molldrem, Konstanze; the hilarious Jack Behonek as the Pasha (another story there); and Richard Whitten accompanying on an ancient upright with no low E flat, quite the obstacle in that score. All in the auditorium of a Catholic school on West 70th. And again at some church in New Jersey. My NYC debut and one of my best roles.
Wilbur also asked me to sing the Defendant in Trial by Jury at a meeting of the NY G&S Society, at Community Unitarian Church. My first G&S in NYC.
Wilbur and I were both cast in Vineyard Opera’s Gianni di Parigi. (I escaped from an attempted mugging on the 7 train on my way back from a rehearsal at their apartment in Queens, also a story for another time). Alas, though the music suited me well indeed I was years short of the stage experience I needed to pull off the role. He by contrast was right in his element, uproarious as Pedrigo. Indeed he was dangerous to be onstage with because he could draw focus without the slightest effort and anyone he wasn’t being protective of could be mercilessly upstaged. We were friends: I was safe!
He did point out to me how cute the soprano playing Lorezza was but I was way too overwhelmed trying to survive an immense role to pay attention.
We sang together many times in many things. I managed to notice that soprano. And married her. Wilbur and Annette stood up for us at our wedding.
Wilbur got along splendidly with my mother. She respected him and she was not fast to accord her respect. He kindly offered to be her long distance Greek tutor but she didn’t follow up. I found the Greek book he gave her among her things after she died.
Wilbur and Annette moved out to New Brunswick, NJ. And we moved to Westchester County (THAT is a story!). We visited periodically, usually on our way to or from seeing my Mother in Pennsylvania. But New Brunswick is too far for spontaneous get-togethers so we saw them less often. And they had kids and so did we. We moved on from opera-focused careers. He got his Master’s degree and became a teacher. I also taught, and took up conducting. He added stringed instruments to his musical life. Many, many stringed instruments. My wife Cindy took up her childhood violin and then more strings as well.
Our visits became jam sessions for Wilbur and Cindy. Annette and I talked. Cindy took summer classes in Pennsylvania and made stops to play mandolins and ukuleles with Wilbur on her way.
Then Cindy got sick. Wilbur and Annette came and visited. It was Covid time and we all sat out on the patio. They brought instruments and we had the Tabby Abbey String orchestra, to the (hopefully) delight of our neighbors. By the second year of Cindy’s illness we were able to eat lunch inside. They were among the last visitors we had before Cindy went into hospice and they showed up for her there as well. When the time came for the memorial service they were of course among the speakers.
I brought Cindy’s favorite mandolin to Wilbur. That was the last time I saw him. Labor Day weekend. I was considering what dates to propose for our next lunch/visit. But time ran out. I cannot wrap my mind around this. He was the life force itself, generous and vibrant. Impossible to conceive of him not being here.
The meals, the garlic, the pasta, the desserts, the joy, the hugs, the uncomplicated and unconditional love. The fun of being onstage with you and at a table with you. Bon voyage, my friend.
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Ben Larkey posted a condolence
Thursday, July 13, 2023
Wilbur was a warm and wonderful man who I met @ Bloomfield Mandolin Orchestra. His amazing musicianship was such a joy to participate in (arrangements, his singing, conducting) He had us over to the house for his wonderful cooking, and brought wonderful baking to Mark & Gail Sample's bluegrass jams. As just a small indication of his generous nature, he gave me an unused 12 string guitar, that is a wonderful way to remember him, everytime I play it. His obvious love of Annette and his kids was a joy to experience. Wilbur will be missed, but he left us all with indelible memories. Ben Larkey
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The family of Wilbur W. Lewis uploaded a photo
Thursday, July 13, 2023
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Our Location:
555 Georges Road
North Brunswick, NJ 08902
Phone: 732-828-2500
Fax: 732-828-3599
Richard H. Selover, Mgr.
NJ License #2443
Gary F. Gorzynski, Dir.
NJ License #4063