By Amy Young
The flag outside the ASB will be lowered Wednesday in remembrance of former BYU vice president, Ben E. Lewis, who died Thursday. He was 91.
Lewis, also known as ?Bow Tie Ben? for his signature wardrobe piece, graduated from BYU in 1940. He returned to BYU in 1952 and served as an administrator until 1979, ending with his 10-year stint as executive vice president.
?Ben E. Lewis was an accomplished administrator,? said Carri Jenkins, university spokeswoman. ?He is one of the individuals credited with building a modern BYU.?
Lewis was chairman of the BYU Major Gifts Campaign beginning in 1982 and helped the university get the funding to build the Marriott Center and expand the football stadium to 65,000 seats. Through his fundraising efforts, Lewis helped BYU build racquetball courts, indoor and outdoor tennis courts, the Richards Building, an annex for the George Albert Smith Fieldhouse and lighted playing fields.
?His foresight, leadership and dedication have helped to provide some of the finest athletic facilities in our nation,? said Stan Watts, former BYU basketball coach, in a press release after Lewis was inducted into the Cougar Club Hall of Fame in 1991.
In 1970, Lewis was awarded an honorary doctor of business degree and then a BYU presidential citation in 2001.
A funeral service is scheduled for Wednesday at 11 a.m. in the Sharon East Stake Center in Provo.