Former Festus Police Chief Tim Lewis will be inducted into the De Soto School District Hall of Fame next month.
The induction ceremony will be held at 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 15, at the De Soto High School Theatre. The ceremony is open to the public, and doors open at 6:45 p.m.
Lewis, 65, a 1978 De Soto High School graduate, is the only inductee this year. Rod Cable, a member of the Hall of Fame committee, said Lewis’ plaque will be added to the Hall of Fame wall, joining about 40 others, near the High School gym.
Cable said Lewis was nominated because of his years of work in law enforcement and his involvement in civic organizations. The committee approved the nomination, which went to the De Soto School District Board of Education for final approval.
Lewis said he was surprised when he received a phone call telling him he was being inducted into the Hall of Fame.
“I was extremely honored and grateful,” he said. “I’m shocked they picked me. I cannot believe they picked me over everyone else who graduated from that school.”
The De Soto School District Hall of Fame honors alumni who have distinguished themselves and have brought pride to De Soto High School.
To be considered for the Hall of Fame, the alumni must have graduated, or at least attended 10th through 12th grades at De Soto High at least 15 years prior to induction, said Bev Wilson, the De Soto Board of Education president and a non-voting member of the Hall of Fame Committee.
Lewis was the Festus police chief from 1998 until he retired in 2023, after a 41-year career in law enforcement.
Lewis graduated from Jefferson College, earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Southeast Missouri State University and a master’s degree from Lindenwood University. He is a graduate of the FBI National Academy, which is one of his proudest accomplishments.
He moved to Festus in 1982 and joined the Festus Police Department in 1983. He was also an adjunct faculty member at Jefferson College and Mineral Area College.
He currently is a member of the Jefferson College Board of Trustees and has been involved in numerous organizations, such as the Elks, Rotary Club, Twin City Area Chamber of Commerce, the Knights of Columbus, Our Lady Catholic Church and the National Junior Amvets. He has served as a board member for several metropolitan police organizations and helped grow the Jefferson County Shop With a Cop program.
He and his wife, Linda, have three adult children: Madison, Haley and Riley.