Lewis Lehr

Lewis Lehr
1921 — 2016
Lewis Lehr passed away peacefully, at age 95, on July 30, 2016 in Phoenix, Ariz. A funeral service was held Friday, August 5, at Pinnacle Presbyterian Church in Scottsdale, AZ.
Interment will be held at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, August 16, at Elgin with military rites by American Legion Post 229 and VFW Post 5816 of Elgin. Memorial contributions preferred to Wounded Warrior Project.
*****
Lewis was born February 21, 1921 in Elgin, Nebraska. He graduated from the University of Nebraska with a B.S. degree in chemical engineering and served as a 2nd Lieutenant in the US Army overseas as an engineer during World War II. In 1944 he married Doris Stauder and they were married for nearly 60 years. At 26 years of age, Lewis landed a position working in 3M’s tape division testing adhesives and 36 years later, Lehr became 3M’s chairman and chief executive officer and held that position from 1980-1986.
Lewis also served on the board of multiple companies including Shell Oil, General Mills, and the University of Minnesota Medical School Foundation to name a few. He earned several honors and awards throughout his very distinguished life and career and was a generous contributor to numerous organizations.
He loved travel, golf, fishing, Nebraska football and music, especially the Phoenix Boys Choir.
He was preceded in death by wife Doris (Stauder) and parents, Lewis and Nancy.
Survivors include daughter Mary Makin; sons William (wife Charlotte), Don (wife Pamela) and John (wife Cammy) Lehr; grandchildren Patrick (wife Michele) Makin, Evan, Trevor, Alexandra, Anthony, Luke and Nicholas Lehr. Also survived by four great-grandchildren, many other relatives and friends.