Colorado House Rep. Kimmi Clark Lewis, a defender of agricultural interests for rural Coloradans, died Friday after battling cancer for a third time, her family said.
Lewis, R-Kim, represented House District 64, which encompasses Baca, Bent, Crowley, Elbert, Kiowa, Las Animas, Lincoln, Prowers and Washington counties in southeastern Colorado. She was first elected in November 2016, and announced plans in August to run for re-election. She was a member of the Rural Affairs and Agriculture and Transportation and Local Government committees.
“With heavy hearts, we share that Kimmi Clark Lewis entered God’s Kingdom this morning following her third and valiant battle with cancer,” her family wrote in a statement. “She was at home on her ranch surrounded by family and loved ones. She will be greatly missed by all who knew her.”
A public memorial will be scheduled, but details have not been set, according to a spokesman for Colorado House Republicans.
Lewis, 62, was a devout Christian who juggled several hats in her family and professional life, family members said. She had managed Muddy Valley Ranch in Kim in eastern Las Animas County since 1992.
“The common threads throughout her time on earth were her strong ties to the land she was born and raised on and her unwavering principles,” according to the family.
Lewis lived with her husband Dave in Branson before he died of leukemia in 2000. They had six children, two of whom continue operating the family’s other business, Dave Lewis Trucking.
House Republican Leader Patrick Neville called Lewis irreplaceable.
“Her legacy will be that of unmoving integrity and fortitude in the face of all adversity,” Neville said in a statement from Colorado House Republicans.
Rep. Dafna Michaelson Jenet, D-Commerce City, recalled the sense of camaraderie she and her Republican colleague shared in their first year as legislators in 2017 after they were both diagnosed with cancer.
“There was that unfortunate bond of being so tired and being so sick on the floor,” Michaelson Jenet said. “It’s really hard to do this work when you’re tired and sick, but there was nothing in the world that would stop that woman from being on the floor.”
Despite being on opposite sides of the aisle and often disagreeing on issues, Michaelson Jenet said Lewis taught many lawmakers about being a rancher, a strong mother and being willing to stand up for her beliefs even when others opposed them.
The last lawmaker to die while in office was Democratic House Rep. John Buckner in 2015, according to Colorado’s Office of Legislative Legal Services.
Sen. Jerry Sonnenberg, R-Sterling, said Lewis was a patriot and an advocate for rural Colorado and agriculture.
“She had an incredible work ethic, evidenced by her being in the office in the morning dealing with legislative issues, going to get a treatment of chemo and then coming back to the office and continuing to work,” he said.
Former state Rep. Jon Becker recalled Lewis’ work on behalf of the families who lost money they were promised through a conservation easements program.
“Kimmi was one of the representatives at the forefront fighting for those people who had lost their farms and their way of life because of what the government did,” Becker said.
Lewis was a member of R-CALIF USA, and the group said her death was a great loss to the cattle industry.
The Las Animas County Republicans called Lewis a “true champion in the fight for rural Colorado.”
U.S. Rep. Ken Buck, chair of the state Republican Party, honored Lewis’ contributions, including serving as president of the Trinidad/Las Animas County Republican Women’s Club for the last 30 years. She was the Southern Colorado Livestock Association Cattlewoman of the Year in 2009, he said.
“Kimmi has been a strong advocate for our state’s farmers and ranchers,” Buck said in a release.
Democratic Gov. Jared Polis, too, called Lewis a strong voice for her community.
Rep. Lewis was a strong voice for her community at the capitol & all those she served across Colorado’s Eastern Plains. A champion for cattle producers & for Colorado water, her staunch passion was evident in everything she did & everyone she interacted with. She will be missed.
— Governor Jared Polis (@GovofCO) December 6, 2019
The Journal-Advocate contributed to this story.
