Harold "Hal" Lewis died on Monday June 15, 1998 at age 70. He was born
November 7, 1927 in Philadelphia. Hal was trained as a graphic designer and
in 1963 founded Hal Lewis Design, Inc., later renamed The Hal Lewis Group,
at which he spent the rest of his professional career.
 
Hal was at one time an avid shell collector. The picture on pages 135 and
136 of Kingdom of the Seashell (Abbott, 1972) shows scallop shells from his
collection. He was also president of the Philadelphia Shell Club in
1970-1972, and a charter member of the Wilmington Shell Club (1972). He
specialized in the Ranellidae, assembling one of the world's best
collections of the group, and becoming a world authority on their taxonomy.
He named several species of ranellids including Cymatium boschi Abbott &
Lewis, 1970, Distorsio constricta habei Lewis, 1972, Distorsio burgessi
Lewis, 1972, Gyrineum louisae Lewis, 1974, and Ranularia oblita Lewis & Beu,
1976. At least two species have been named after Hal, Distorsio
(Distorsionella) lewisi Beu, 1978 and Sassia lewisi Harasewych & Petuch,
1980. He donated his ranellid collection to the Academy of Natural Sciences
of Philadelphia around 1975.
 
A memorial service is scheduled for Friday June 19, 10 am at the Arch Street
Meeting House, 320 Arch Street in Philadelphia. The funeral will be 12-1 pm
at the West Laurel Hill Cemetery on Belmont Avenue in Bala Cynwyd.
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Gary Rosenberg, Ph.D.                     [log in to unmask]
Malacology & Invertebrate Paleontology    gopher://erato.acnatsci.org
Academy of Natural Sciences               http://www.acnatsci.org
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