“Putting the wow” into people’s lives; this was the motto for Mildred Luck Lewis’ charitable giving during her lifetime and remains the guiding “Bronze Star” for the Foundation today.
Founded in 2006 as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, The Mildred Luck Lewis Foundation supports San Joaquin County, California and neighboring counties’ charities devoted to the betterment of the lives of the disadvantaged and intellectually and developmentally challenged members of our community.
Mildred Luck Lewis (Millie), a native of Berkeley, California was raised in Sacramento where she graduated from Sacramento High School and Sacramento Junior College. Millie served in the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC) during World War II, earning the Bronze Star, the Good Conduct Medal, the European African Middle East Campaign Medal and the WAAC Service Ribbon.
Upon her return from war service, she married James N. Lewis. She spent most of her adult life in Stockton caring for their daughter Pamela, who was intellectually and developmentally disabled from birth.
Together Jim and Millie supported many local charities, especially those that cared for the developmentally and intellectually disabled and those that provided food, shelter and health care for the disadvantaged in the community.
Following the death of her husband and daughter, Millie endowed the Mildred Luck Lewis Foundation in 2006 to ensure this ongoing legacy.
Millie passed away in her own home on August 16, 2016, two months after celebrating her 99th birthday.