What About Bob and Verla?
A Perspective on the Lives of
Robert & Verla Lewis
Parents of The Hearts Center Founder
and Nine other ExtraOrdinary Children!
April 4, 2009
Robert Odell Lewis
• Born April 4, 1923 in Hammond, Indiana
• An only child.
• Bob’s parents—William (Johnny) and Mary—
attended services in Chicago of the I AM
Movement during its heyday.
• Played the harmonica at age 12 during an I AM
Christmas pageant/program in Chicago.
• Grew up in Oak Park, Illinois.
Robert Odell Lewis
• Bob’s dad was an educator, public school
principal and later a university publisher’s
textbook salesman.
• Bob’s mom was a nurse, owned a dress
shop and was also a hair stylist.
• As part of their spiritual pursuits Bob’s
parents were also interested in health
food, gardening and natural living with a
vast library on all these subjects.
Robert Odell Lewis
• Was a high jumper in college and cleared the high bar at
his height of 6’1”.
• Served in the Army Air Corps during WWII during which
he met Verla Jeanne Schneider in Waco, Texas.
• Bob and Verla married August 6, 1944. Bob was 21 and
Verla was 20 at the time.
• Bob studied meteorology as part of his wartime work in
the Army Air Corps. He operated radios in airplanes but
never served in actual combat missions in Europe.
• Earned a master’s degree in Radio/TV Broadcast
Journalism and graduated from Northwestern University
in Evanston—a northern suburb of Chicago.
Robert Odell Lewis
• Bob and Verla had homes in Oak Park,
Lyons, Hinsdale and Carbondale, Illinois.
• Bob worked for WGN Radio/TV in Chicago
and wrote the scripts for the original
Garfield Goose children’s TV program.
• Bob worked for various advertising
agencies, including Darcy and Leo
Burnett, producing television commercials.
Robert Odell Lewis
• Bob and Verla brought ten children into the
world with birthdays from 1945 to 1967—
Greg, Steve, Jim, Connie, Nancy, David,
Tim, Marsha, Andy, Matthew.
• All are still alive and living in Colorado,
Montana, Kansas, Illinois, New York and
North Carolina.
• The Lewises were Catholic from the mid
fifties until the mid-seventies.
Robert Odell Lewis
• Was a the Democratic Precinct Committee
chairman, involved in promoting local candidates
in the western suburbs of the Chicago area for
many years.
• Bob’s family moved from Chicago to a farm near
Carbondale in 1973 during the “energy crisis.”
• Hosted a radio program there called “Country
Living” during which he interviewed many local
folks on topics related to natural living—organic
farming, gardening, beekeeping, etc.
Robert Odell Lewis
• Bob became interested in beekeeping and
tried it for a time.
• When David found the teachings of the
ascended masters in 1974 Bob was
initially skeptical, but was later very
supportive and moved the family to
California to live near “Camelot.”
Robert Odell Lewis
• Bob attended two levels of Summit University,
joined the Church and fell in love with the
teachings of Maria Montessori as taught by
Elisabeth Caspari.
• Bob was impressed with and developed a lifelong friendship with Madame Caspari, whom he
considered his personal guru. He attended her
100th birthday celebration in Bozeman, Montana.
Robert Odell Lewis
• Bob volunteered in the A/V department at
Camelot and audio-edited many of Mark
Prophet’s lectures as well as presentations
by Edward Francis.
• He loved Mark’s teachings as presented in
what became the 2-cassette albums on his
Sermons for a Sabbath Evening and
Discourses on Cosmic Law.
Robert Odell Lewis
• While living in California Bob worked at
Pepperdine University as an events
coordinator and an adjunct professor and
often drove others to and from work from
the Valley or from Camelot.
• Bob looked a little like Ernest Hemingway
and his stately appearance (white beard
and mustache) was captured in a few
photos of various Church publications.
Robert Odell Lewis
• Bob loved to play Santa Claus during the
Christmas season, partly because of his
white beard and mustache but also
because he loved children and loved to
make them laugh.
• Even when not “in uniform”, after doing a
double-take, children would occasionally
come up to him and tell him what
Christmas gifts they’d like that year!
Robert Odell Lewis
• Bob and Verla moved to Lawrence,Kansas
a few years after the Church Universal and
Triumphant moved to Montana.
• Two and eventually four of Bob’s sons and
their families moved to/lived in Lawrence.
• Bob worked in the University Relations
Department at K.U. doing public relations
work, producing promotional videos.
Robert Odell Lewis
• Bob joined the Unity Church in Lawrence and
served on their board for many years, attending
services faithfully every Sunday.
• Bob volunteered as an “audio reader” for the
blind, as an usher at the Lied University
(Performing Arts) Center for all kinds of events
and in many other capacities throughout town.
He received numerous accolades for his
constancy in service to others.
Robert Odell Lewis
• Bob loved playing the harmonica, the jew’s
harp and with yoyos. His specialty license
plate for many years spelled “YOYOMAN”!
• Bob loved calling to Archangel Michael
and his angels when driving and to K-17 to
secure parking spots wherever he drove!
• Bob ended all his emails with Madame
Caspari’s favorite quote, “Love is the Key.”
Robert Odell Lewis
• When Verla’s health deteriorated so she
could no longer walk or be on her own,
Bob faithfully visited her daily at a local
nursing home until he passed on.
• Bob died of esophogeal cancer on April
22, 2007 at his home in Lawrence, Kansas
surrounded by many of his loving children.
Robert Odell Lewis
• After Bob’s transition, David was shown
that he had qualified for his ascension but
had chosen to wait until his beloved wife
and twin flame, Verla, passed so that he
could ascend with her.
• This is SO like Dad/Bob.
• So, that’s what’s about Bob. Now, what
about Verla!
Verla Jeanne Schneider
• Verla was born in Jackson, Minnesota on
October 19, 1923.
• Verla had one brother, Irvin, and grew up
on a family farm in south-central MN,
doing all the various chores that were
required throughout her youth, surviving
the depression through hard work.
• She attended a one-room schoolhouse.
Verla Jeanne Schneider
• Verla was a great student and skipped two
grades. (Bob skipped one grade!)
• Verla attended Mankato State Teacher’s
College for two years but because of the
war she didn’t finish her schooling.
• She and a lady friend traveled to
Waco,Texas to work at Sears where she
met Bob, and they were married soon
thereafter on August 6, 1944.
Verla Jeanne Lewis
• Verla gave birth to ten children as noted before
from 1945 until 1967—Greg, Steve, Jim, Connie,
Nancy, David, Tim, Marsha, Andy and Matthew.
• Verla had many creative interests throughout the
years, including macrame, knitting, crocheting,
quilting, collecting shells and rocks, jigsaw
puzzles, reading, birdwatching and praying for
all her children.
Verla Jeanne Lewis
• Verla was the first in our immediate family
to show an interest in higher spiritual
truths and introduced the family to
reincarnation and karma through the
Edgar Cayce books in the early ‘70’s.
• Verla was an avid reader of many spiritual
texts over the years.
Verla Jeanne Lewis
• David found the teachings of the ascended
masters through The Summit Lighthouse in 1974
and attended Summit University in January
1975. Verla followed suit soon thereafter,
attending her first conference at Mount Shasta in
July 1975, where she surprised David who didn’t
know she was coming!
• She then attended Buddha’s quarter of Summit
University in Jan.1976 in Colorado Springs, CO.
Verla Jeanne Lewis
• Verla’s devotion eventually sparked Bob’s
interest and they moved to California in
about 1978, bringing their two youngest
sons, Andy and Matthew, with them.
• Verla volunteered for many years in the file
room of the Customer Services dept.,
working closely with Joyce Genis.
Verla Jeanne Lewis
• Verla continued her spiritual pursuits
through a loving and very calm, Buddhic
presence throughout her life.
• During her final months and years in a
nursing home, she had a statue of Mother
Mary at her dining table and would do the
rosary weekly with other elder Catholics,
naming and dedicating each state of the
union to Mary’s immaculate heart.
Verla on Love
• Following is something that Verla wrote during
her last few years that I’d like to share:
• From the love of my parents, I, Verla, came into
the first quarter of this century. Learned perfect
attendance and deportment and how to study
my three R’s quietly in a one-room schoolhouse
while seven other grades recited theirs out loud.
Verla on Love
• Learned to herd cows along a country road in
Minnesota, show calves at the county fair and
stay calm inside while Midwest tornadoes did
their work outside.
• From the romantic love of my grandmother, my
brother and I learned to spot the first crocus of
spring, hear the geese honking overhead,
identify birds and plants, hunt for duck eggs
along the creek, can applesauce and bring in the
crops.
Verla on Love
• From the love of neighbors, 4-H leaders
and relatives I learned to can corn, grind
wheat, pick blueberries, cut out a pattern,
make buckwheat pancakes, take care of
babies, crochet and herd goats among the
chamomile.
Verla on Love
• From the expansive love of my husband I saw
castles in Spain, spoonbills in Florida, bridges
from Liberty’s torch, mountains in Canada,
Michigan Avenue from the Sears Tower,
bullfights in Mexico and heard music in the
Hollywood Bowl.
• With him I have changed diapers in 14 states,
hid Easter eggs in seven back yards, ridden
thousands of miles on the freeways of the
country, rocking and nursing babies.
Verla on Love
• Ten children’s love has shown me sweetness,
devotion, single-mindedness of purpose,
forgiveness. Love showed me the snow of
Shasta and Oberlin’s causeway to the top of the
mountain.
• The earth slipped out from under me on
Michigan Avenue because of improper shoes, in
Hinsdale because of ice on the street, in Kansas
City because my knee went out of joint, in
California during frequent earthquakes.
Verla on Love
• I’ve rocked my first grandchild on the
porch swing, held a minutes-old
granddaughter, watched a grandson climb
to the top of a tree, identify his first
cardinal and work his first macramé knot.
• What more can love do?
Verla Jeanne Schneider Lewis
• Verla passed on early in the morning on
Spring Equinox, March 21, 2009.
• Shortly after her passing, David was
shown that she had balanced 88% of her
karma in this life, partly through her
selfless service to her husband, to her
family and to all life.
• Verla is truly a “Buddha Mother” herself.
Bob and Verla Lewis
• Both El Morya and Bob Lewis share the
same birthday, April 4th, today.
• Bob and Verla, under the guidance of their
sponsoring masters, have decided to
make their ascension today, April 4, 2009
at exactly noon Central Daylight Time from
an ancient retreat of the Goddess of Light
over Chicago, Illinois.
Bob and Verla Lewis
• El Morya would have us meditate now on
the ascension currents of light as we are
transported in consciousness to this inner
retreat over Chicago to participate in a
sacred ceremony for Bob and Verla.
• I will share what I’m shown now. Please be
still and focus on your Divine Presence.