AL AL - Nancy Lewis, 47, Birmingham, 18 May 2005

Police seek clues in woman's disappearance

Wednesday, May 25, 2005
CAROL ROBINSON
News staff writer

Birmingham police are searching for a hospital cook missing for a week, and a man last seen driving her truck the day after she vanished.

Nancy Lewis, 47, was last seen at 3:45 a.m. May 18 as she left her southwest Birmingham home on her way to work at Children's Hospital.

Her blue pickup truck was seen the next evening at a Midfield gas station, and then recovered by police Sunday afternoon at the Pilot Travel Center on Bankhead Highway.

Police on Tuesday distributed a composite drawing of a man seen in the truck in Midfield, but released few other details.

Lewis hasn't been seen or heard from since shortly after she left her Princeton Avenue home that Thursday morning.

"We've been driving around, canvassing the neighborhood, making announcements on radio stations, everything we can think of," said her roommate, Grethel Pryor. "This definitely isn't like her. It's like she just vanished."

Pryor said she and Lewis got up early every morning to go to work. Pryor works for another hospital.

Lewis usually left just before Pryor, and often warmed up both cars for them. Pryor said she was unplugging her iron last Thursday when Lewis told her good-bye. "I was walking back in the room and she was backing out of the driveway to go to work," Pryor said.

A co-worker of Lewis' called Pryor later that morning when Lewis didn't show up at her job. The co-worker told Pryor that Lewis had called in to say she had a flat tire and was calling her brother to help her.

Pryor assumed it was worked out, and didn't give it another thought until she still hadn't heard from Lewis by nightfall. She and friends started making calls, and couldn't get through to Lewis' cell phone.

"It got so full of messages from everybody trying to call her, it wouldn't take any more," Pryor said.

Lewis' sister, Shirley Gude, said Lewis' brother did receive a call from her about a flat, but when he got to where she told him she was, neither she nor her truck was there.

"She had brand new tires. I don't think she had a flat," Gude said. "I think that was just a signal she sent out saying she needed help."

Lewis' blue 2000 Chevrolet S10 truck, license plate YOBOS, was seen being driven by a man at 8:50 p.m. May 19 at the Midfield Shell on Bessemer Super Highway, police said.

One of the searchers called police Sunday to say she had found the truck at 12:30 p.m. at the Pilot truck stop, Pryor said.

Pryor said Lewis is diabetic, but controls the disease with her diet, not medication.

Anyone with information about Lewis is asked to call Birmingham police at 933-4113 or Crimestoppers at 254-7777.

http://www.al.com/search/index.ssf?/base/news/1117013164244490.xml?birminghamnews?ncrime&coll=2

Woman sought in cook's disappearance

Wednesday, June 08, 2005
CAROL ROBINSON
News staff writer

Authorities are looking for a Bessemer woman for questioning in the disappearance of 47-year-old Nancy Lewis.

Birmingham investigators on Tuesday released a photograph of Penny L. Clark, 37, and called her a "person of interest" in the Lewis case.

Meanwhile, as police continue their probe, friends and family of Lewis, the missing Children's Hospital cook, are now offering a $2,000 reward for information about what happened to her.

"We're hoping and praying that someone will tell us where she's at," said Grethel Porter, Lewis' roommate. "We're coming up on three weeks. It's like living your worst nightmare."

Lewis vanished May 18 while on her way to work. She was last seen at 3:45 that morning as she left her southwest Birmingham home on her way to work.

A co-worker of Lewis' called Porter later that morning when Lewis didn't show up at her job.

The co-worker told Porter that Lewis had called in to say she had a flat tire and was calling her brother to help her.

Family members have said Lewis' brother did receive a call from her about a flat, but when he got to where she told him she was, neither she nor her truck was there.

No one heard from her again.

Her blue pickup truck was seen the next evening at a Midfield gas station, and then recovered by police May 22 at the Pilot Travel Center on Bankhead Highway.

Police last week distributed a composite drawing of a man seen in the truck in Midfield, but released few other details.

Porter said she doesn't know the woman for whom police are searching, but said the woman's fingerprints were found in Lewis' truck.

"We have no idea who she could be," Porter said. "It's like we're in the twilight zone."

Anyone with information about this case is asked to call Birmingham police at 933-4113 or Crimestoppers at 254-7777.

http://www.al.com/search/index.ssf?/base/news/1118222367169320.xml?birminghamnews?ncrime&coll=2

Reward increased to help find missing Children's Hospital cook

The Associated Press
June 10, 2005

A $10,000 reward has been offered by a Tuscaloosa businessman for information in the disappearance of a Children's Hospital cook on her way to work May 18 in Birmingham.

The family of Nancy Lewis, 47, already had raised $2,000 in reward money. Tuscaloosa developer Stan Pate, who has contributed to other missing persons efforts, added the $10,000.

"We should be willing to give of our time, our effort, and financially if we have it," Pate said Thursday.

Lewis was last seen at 3:45 a.m. May 18 leaving her Birmingham home for work. Relatives said she called her brother for help with a flat tire, but Lewis and her blue pickup truck were not where she had said they were.

Her truck was seen the next evening at a Midfield gas station, and police found it May 22 at a Pilot truck stop on the Bankhead Highway. Police distributed a composite drawing last week of a man seen in the truck in Midfield, but released few other details.

http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050610/APN/506101012&cachetime=3&template=dateline

Commentary By ELAINE WITT
BIRMINGHAM POST-HERALD
Posted June 09 2005

It isn't that they don't have sympathy for the justifiably frantic loved ones of Natalee Holloway.

In fact, Nancy Lewis' friends and relatives know something about what the Holloways are feeling.

What they don't understand is why most of the news outlets fixated on the Holloway case have shown so little interest for the past three weeks in the plight of another Birmingham-area resident who disappeared May 18 while driving to her job as a cook at Children's Hospital.

It's been noted before that we, the news media — especially cable TV — lose all sense of proportion when faced with what syndicated columnist Paul Campos has dubbed the "Photogenic White Girl in Distress" story line. Think Laci Peterson, Chandra Levy and Elizabeth Smart.

Holloway, a new graduate of Mountain Brook High School, appears to have been snatched away from those who love her while on a senior trip to a Caribbean island.

It's a bleak situation.

And it's also a convergence of facts that created the perfect storm for cable TV. The specter of what may have happened to her is horribly disturbing to anyone who has ever been young and female or has a daughter or niece or friend meeting that description.

It does not diminish the awfulness of the Holloway case to decry the fact that we Americans, to put it bluntly, care more about such victims than we do about a middle-aged black woman who also appears to have been abducted by someone who meant her harm.

Nancy Lewis has been a cook for seven years at Children's, where she prepares eggs, oatmeal, pancakes and the like for the young patients' breakfast and then prepares lunch vegetables for the cafeteria line.

"Everybody here has a caring heart for what they do and who they're serving, and it shows in their dedication. She would go above and beyond what was needed to get the job done," Gavin Boinski, production manager and executive chef in the hospital's kitchen, said of Lewis. "She would come in early, stay late, give of her own time to make sure the job was done."

In the hospital, Boinski said, Lewis was known for her good humor. "The laugh was infectious," Boinski said. "She was always upbeat, always cheerful and just happy, and other employees feed off that."

Her disappearance, he said, has left the staff heartbroken and bewildered. "It's like you've lost one of your family members."

Although Lewis was not scheduled to start work until 5 a.m., it wasn't unusual for her to go in early, and that was the case on May 18. Her roommate, who was getting ready for an early shift at a different hospital, told her goodbye at 3:45 a.m. and never saw her again.

"Between her leaving home and getting to work, something happened," said Birmingham police Detective V.L. Green, whose office this week announced it is looking for Bessemer resident Peggy L. Clark, identified as a "person of interest" in Lewis' disappearance.

Dozens of people are reported missing in the Birmingham area each month, but most of the cases are quickly resolved.

Among the cases still oustanding is the May 22 disappearance of Walter Moore an assistant principal at Hayes Middle School. Moore's automobile, like that of Lewis, was found abandoned within days of his disappearance. Detective T. Thomas said Moore spoke to a friend on the telephone that Sunday evening and never made it to work the next day.

She said she's received "a lot of rumors" in the case and a few leads.

Lewis was known to be scrupulous about keeping her Chevy pickup full of gas, and she drove with her doors locked.

"Both of us try to be cautious when we leave the house, because it is rather dangerous for anyone going out that time of morning, especially a woman," said Grethel Pryor, a friend with whom Lewis has shared a home in southwest Birmingham for 10 years.

The day after her disappearance, Lewis' truck was found abandoned near a Midfield gas station. Police have released a composite sketch of a man believed to have been driving the truck after Lewis' disappearance.

Lewis' friends and relatives have donned T-shirts bearing Lewis' image while they pass out fliers in the area where the truck was found.

They also have raised a few thousand dollars as a reward for information. They realize the reward is small compared to the $55,000 that has been offered to help find Holloway.

And they think the media could do more. Until this week, when police released a photograph of Clark, the case got limited news coverage.

"I just can't understand why a dedicated citizen of Birmingham who works at Children's Hospital is not getting the coverage she could get, from the news media, the detectives, the FBI," said Matilda Scott, a co-worker of Lewis.

While they wait, Lewis' family, like the Holloways, must deal with the fact that as time passes hope becomes more elusive.

"She was a wonderful lady," Brandi Miller said of her aunt, and then corrected herself: "She is a wonderful lady."

http://www.postherald.com/me060905.shtml

i am trying to find out infomation on my sister-in-law Nancy Lewis.

she has been missing since may 18th 2005. she left her home in Bham

Al. around 3:15 a.m. going to work at Children's Hospital where she is a

cook. she never made it.the blue pickup truck she was driving was found

on the 22nd of may intact. she is a black female, 47 years old , black hair

brown eyes , 5 feet tall , 140 lbs. if anyone have any info or has seen her,

please contact Det. Green at 205-933-4113 or 205-328-9311. or post me a

message. Thank you

I will be praying for Nancy and all of you who love her.

Nancy Lewis has been a cook for seven years at Children's, where she prepares eggs, oatmeal, pancakes and the like for the young patients' breakfast and then prepares lunch vegetables for the cafeteria line.

"Everybody here has a caring heart for what they do and who they're serving, and it shows in their dedication. She would go above and beyond what was needed to get the job done," Gavin Boinski, production manager and executive chef in the hospital's kitchen, said of Lewis. "She would come in early, stay late, give of her own time to make sure the job was done."

In the hospital, Boinski said, Lewis was known for her good humor. "The laugh was infectious," Boinski said. "She was always upbeat, always cheerful and just happy, and other employees feed off that."

Her disappearance, he said, has left the staff heartbroken and bewildered. "It's like you've lost one of your family members."

Westry watches volunteers pass out fliers showing her missing sister, Nancy Lewis. Although Lewis was not scheduled to start work until 5 a.m., it wasn't unusual for her to go in early, and that was the case on May 18. Her roommate, who was getting ready for an early shift at a different hospital, told her goodbye at 3:45 a.m. and never saw her again.

"Between her leaving home and getting to work, something happened," said Birmingham police Detective V.L. Green, whose office this week announced it is looking for Bessemer resident Peggy L. Clark, identified as a "person of interest" in Lewis' disappearance.

http://www.postherald.com/me060905.shtml

My prayers are with your family right now. Hoping for the safe return of your SIL.

"Lewis was last seen at 3:45 a.m. May 18 leaving her Birmingham home for work. Relatives said she called her brother for help with a flat tire, but Lewis and her blue pickup truck were not where she had said they were."

http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/apps/...0/APN/506101012&cachetime=3&template=dateline

praying for your sister-in-law. She has been mentioned several times on W/S. Everyone here really cares about the missing and will help anyway they can. Hope you find out s omething soon.

Missing Adult

Photo:
http://www.angelsmissing.com/forum/index.php?act=Attach&type=post&id=671http://http://www.angelsmissing.com/forum/index.php?act=Attach&type=post&id=671

Nancy Lewis
Date Of Birth: 9/14/1958
Current Age: 46 Year(s)
Sex: Female
Race: Black
Height: 5 ft. 00 inches
Weight: 160
Hair Color: Black
Eye Color: Brown
State of Residence: Alabama
NCIC#: M654898424

Nancy Lewis, was last seen on Wednesday, May 18, 2005, enroute to work at Childrens Hospital, Birmingham, Alabama.

If you have any information, please contact the Birmingham Police Department , Detective Green, 205-254-6312 or the Alabama Bureau of Investigation Center for Missing and Exploited Children by phone at 1-800-228-7688 or via Internet. e-mail:acmec@dps.state.al.us

http://www.dps.state.al.us/public/abi/system/missing/details.asp?id=5123&type=Adult

Thanks for keep us alert to this one fourboys...I have to agree with the article you posted about the lack of attention this case is getting compared to Holloway...here we have a productive working citizen of Alabama and nobody seems to care I've seen a lot of articles and op-ed pieces stating the same opinion. I think some are getting rather tired of the "white damsel in distress" being the only one that is noticed. I pray that Nancy is found, safe and alive...I pray for her family, it must be difficult for them to go through this knowing that they are getting no attention and not nearly as much help as the Holloways are.

Four weeks gone. I'm not liking what I am reading. Prayers for Nancy's family.

Prayers for Nancy Lewis and her family. I hope that she is found soon.

Praying for your family and for Nancy's safe return.

Poochie, when the pickup truck was found did it have a flat tire? Had the tire been recently changed (was the spare on it?) Have you considered placing individuals on the route she usually took, with fliers describing her and the truck and giving the contact info? Or putting up a billboard there? With LE's permission of course!

Here is a link with some info on a previous case and info on an org that might be helpful. FOHVAMP (Families of Homicide Victims and Missing Persons)

It looks like they mainly work with cold cases though.

http://news4colorado.com/crimeaccidentreport/local_story_096130507.html

poochie, welcome to WS, although sad it had to be under these circumstances. prayers for your family. i will be keeping an eye on this thread and hoping for the best! hang in there. :blowkiss:

poochie54 said:

i am trying to find out infomation on my sister-in-law Nancy Lewis.

she has been missing since may 18th 2005. she left her home in Bham

Al. around 3:15 a.m. going to work at Children's Hospital where she is a

cook. she never made it.the blue pickup truck she was driving was found

on the 22nd of may intact. she is a black female, 47 years old , black hair

brown eyes , 5 feet tall , 140 lbs. if anyone have any info or has seen her,

please contact Det. Green at 205-933-4113 or 205-328-9311. or post me a

message. Thank you

Click to expand...

My heart goes out to you and your family.
Is there somewhere on the web where we can see her picture? It's so important to try to keep her picture in front of the public's eye.

mysteriew said:

Poochie, when the pickup truck was found did it have a flat tire? Had the tire been recently changed (was the spare on it?) Have you considered placing individuals on the route she usually took, with fliers describing her and the truck and giving the contact info? Or putting up a billboard there? With LE's permission of course!

Here is a link with some info on a previous case and info on an org that might be helpful. FOHVAMP (Families of Homicide Victims and Missing Persons)

It looks like they mainly work with cold cases though.

http://news4colorado.com/crimeaccidentreport/local_story_096130507.html

Click to expand...

mysteriew,the pickup was intact. there was no flat and the spare was
where it always is.we have put out fliers all over town , infact we are going back out this saturday.thank you so much for the info , every little bit helps.

poochie...my thoughts and prayers are with you...I hope you find Nancy safe and sound...let us know anything else we can do

Poochie, the reason I asked about people with fliers is in thinkng about my city. Many people may drive for an hour to get into the city to go to work. Now with leaving for work an hour to an hour and a half early in the AM and getting home an hour to an hour and a half after work, they don't watch a lot of news. They will wait until they get out of the city traffic to stop at a gas station. Besides, how many cars will they see on the side of the road during their drive. But a flier with the picture of the truck, or a billboard with a picture of the truck along the route, may jog a memory. It at least reminds them, it was in this area. And it is the drivers who travel that area in the hours she would have been traveling, on the days she traveled- that is your target.