MajorsApr 02, 2026
Pandora Opens New Canadian Distribution Center Amid Tariff ConcernsThe new facility was also designed to better serve its growing customer base in Canada.
IndependentsMay 02, 2024
Oklahoma Jeweler Glenn Lewis Dies at 68
The co-founder of Lewis Jewelers was also the longtime mayor of the city of Moore.
Glenn Lewis, who died on Sunday at age 68, is remembered for his impact on the city of Moore, Oklahoma, as a beloved community jeweler and the city’s longest-serving mayor.
Moore, Okla.—Glenn Delbert Lewis, longtime mayor and co-founder of Lewis Jewelers in Moore, Oklahoma, died at the age of 68 on April 28.
He had been experiencing a “lengthy illness,” the family said in his obituary.
Lewis was born July 12, 1955, in Shawnee, Oklahoma, to John Delbert Lewis and Tawana Ruth Richardson Lewis.
In the summer of 1960, the family moved to Moore, where John built their home.
Lewis graduated from Moore High School, where he was president of his senior class, in 1973. He attended the University of Oklahoma and transferred to the University of Central Oklahoma, where he graduated with a degree in municipal management.
Following an interest in rock hunting, Lewis became a jeweler apprentice at age 16.
In 1976, he opened Lewis Jewelers with his younger brother Tim. Glenn’s business focus was on manufacturing wholesale and retail jewelry, the family said.
Both brothers got their start in the industry cutting and polishing gemstones, according to the store’s website.
Today, the store is fully integrated from gemstone cutting to designing and manufacturing finished pieces in its own factory, and it has served multiple generations of customers for 45 years.
He had been experiencing a “lengthy illness,” the family said in his obituary.
Lewis was born July 12, 1955, in Shawnee, Oklahoma, to John Delbert Lewis and Tawana Ruth Richardson Lewis.
In the summer of 1960, the family moved to Moore, where John built their home.
Lewis graduated from Moore High School, where he was president of his senior class, in 1973. He attended the University of Oklahoma and transferred to the University of Central Oklahoma, where he graduated with a degree in municipal management.
Following an interest in rock hunting, Lewis became a jeweler apprentice at age 16.
In 1976, he opened Lewis Jewelers with his younger brother Tim. Glenn’s business focus was on manufacturing wholesale and retail jewelry, the family said.
Both brothers got their start in the industry cutting and polishing gemstones, according to the store’s website.
Today, the store is fully integrated from gemstone cutting to designing and manufacturing finished pieces in its own factory, and it has served multiple generations of customers for 45 years.
After 18 years in the jewelry industry, Lewis was elected the mayor of Moore in 1994.
He was nicknamed “Mr. Mayor” for his love and commitment to the city, his family said.
U.S. Representative Tom Cole, who has lived in Moore for more than 60 years, has said that Lewis’ time as mayor was "the most consequential in the history of Moore, without question."
It was during Lewis' tenure that the 1999 EF5 tornado struck the city, killing more than 40 people and leaving behind more than $1 billion in damage.
On a visit to Moore, then-President Bill Clinton called Lewis “the most experienced mayor in dealing with FEMA disasters.”
Lewis was also in office when another tornado hit in 2013, leading to the injuries and deaths of dozens, as well as $2 billion in damage.
Then-President Barack Obama visited the city, and federal emergency responders “followed the city’s lead, rather than the other way around,” The Oklahoman reported.
President Barack Obama talking with Glenn Lewis on his visit to Moore, Oklahoma, in May of 2013 (Photo by Bryan Terry, courtesy of The Oklahoman)
In 2021, thanks to a unanimous vote by city councilmembers, Lewis was honored with the renaming of a portion of SW 25 Boulevard—the section near a Costco he helped attract to the area—to Glenn Lewis Boulevard.
After 30 years in office, Lewis, the longest serving mayor in the state, decided last year to not seek reelection, according to local news.
The new mayor Mark Hamm remembers him on the city's official Facebook page, stating that “City Council recently honored [Lewis] with the ‘Key to the City,’ symbolizing the impact he had on the community. Glenn had the key to our hearts.”
Lewis was preceded in death by his wife of 40 years, Pamela Coulter Lewis.
He is survived by his daughter, Laura Lewis, and her partner Brendan Schulz; their children, Riley and Daniel; and his brother Timothy J. Lewis and his wife, Julie.
A visitation took place May 1 at Lynlee Mae Chapel, located at 507 East Main in Moore, and will also be held May 2 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
The funeral service will be held May 3 at 1 p.m. at the First Baptist Church of Moore, located at 301 NE 27th Street, and interment will follow at Moore City Cemetery at 800 SW 4th Street.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests gifts in Lewis’ memory be made to the Pam and Glenn Lewis Scholarship Fund.
Those can be mailed to Moore High School Alumni Association, PO Box 7916, Moore, Oklahoma 73153.
More on Independents
The Latest
TrendsApr 02, 2026
Michelle Yeoh Fronts New Mikimoto Campaign The campaign is a tribute to the year 1893, when Kokichi Mikimoto created the world’s first cultured pearl.
GradingApr 02, 2026
GIA Debuts New Campus in TaiwanIt is the only GIA school to offer the GIA Graduate Gemologist program in Chinese.
Brought to you by
Protect Your Customers and Your BusinessYou deserve to know what you are selling–to protect your customers as well as your business and your reputation.
MajorsApr 02, 2026
DCA Launches ‘Second Spark’ Workforce InitiativeThe initiative connects veterans and parents returning to the workforce with careers in jewelry retail.
Weekly QuizApr 02, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
MajorsApr 02, 2026
Hoover & Strong Names New National Sales RepresentativeThe wholesale manufacturer and precious metals refiner has appointed Michael Angelo as its new national sales representative.
MajorsApr 01, 2026
Foundrae Sues Pandora for Allegedly Copying Its Medallion DesignsFoundrae also accused the jewelry giant of copying its mood board style of marketing.
Brought to you by
Is This You? Every Jeweler Has This Problem; We Have the Solution.Every jeweler faces the same challenge: helping customers protect what they love. Here’s the solution designed for today’s jewelry business.
AuctionsApr 01, 2026
John Jacob Astor IV’s Titanic Pocket Watch Heads to AuctionA Patek Philippe for Tiffany & Co. timepiece owned by the American businessman who died on the Titanic will be offered at Freeman's Chicago.
SurveysApr 01, 2026
Consumers’ Outlook Improves Again in MarchThe Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence Index edged up, with optimism about the present outweighing worries about the future.
Events & AwardsApr 01, 2026
AGA Opens 2026 Gemological Scholarship, Research Grant ApplicationsApplications are open for the AGA Gemological Scholarship Program through May 15, and until June 2027 for the Gemological Research Grant.
ColumnistsMar 31, 2026
Q1 Clues That Reveal Where Your Jewelry Store’s Sales Are Heading These customer behavior patterns say a lot about how successful your jewelry store is going to be this year, Emmanuel Raheb writes.
CollectionsMar 31, 2026
Mejuri Adds Silver to ‘Puzzle’ CollectionMejuri’s popular collection of 18-karat yellow gold vermeil rings debuted in sterling silver alongside new “Puzzle” slider charms.
CollectionsMar 31, 2026
Buddha Mama, Ashley Longshore to Host Pop-Up in DallasThe Miami-based jewelry brand and the NYC-based artist will be in Dallas from April 9-11.
SourcingMar 31, 2026
NDC Designates April 8 as 'World Diamond Day'The initiative invites those in the industry to share stories on social media highlighting the meaning and impact of natural diamonds.
SourcingMar 31, 2026
GIA VP Jillian Wolk to Take Over at Tracr Wolk’s first day on the job as CEO of Tracr, De Beers Group’s blockchain platform, will be May 1.
EditorsMar 30, 2026
Tom Moses Looks Back on His Decades at GIA Moses, who will leave the lab in May after nearly 50 years, discusses his start in the business, gemstones that stand out, and what’s next.
TrendsMar 30, 2026
Oscar Heyman Debuts First Spring CatalogThe new catalog, which showcases 35 one-of-a-kind pieces of jewelry, is a compliment to the company’s popular holiday catalog.
SourcingMar 30, 2026
Rio Tinto Hauls Last Load from DiavikProduction has ceased at the Canadian diamond mine, which has yielded more than 150 million carats of rough diamonds in its 23-year run.
MajorsMar 30, 2026
Tanishq Opens First New England LocationThe store opening marks the 10th United States location for the India-based jewelry retailer.
MajorsMar 27, 2026
Saks Global Has Changed Its Mind About Closing These 3 StoresTwo Saks Fifth Avenue locations, one in Florida and one in California, and one Neiman Marcus store are off the chopping block.
CollectionsMar 27, 2026
Itä’s ‘Yarí Whirl’ Ring Tells Every Side of the StoryIn the “Tesoro” version of the ring, our Piece of the Week, each side of the gold hexagonal nugget has a unique colored gemstone design.
WatchesMar 26, 2026
Q&A: Citizen Watch America President Jeffrey Cohen on Eco-Drive’s 50th AnniversaryCohen discusses the evolution of Citizen’s light-powered technology, the brand’s cross-generational appeal, and tariffs.
IndependentsMar 26, 2026
Peter Smith Pens Book on Human Behavior in Sales“Essentially Human: On Sales and Salespeople" reveals the underlying human traits and behaviors of the most successful sales professionals.
CollectionsMar 26, 2026
Lionheart Celebrates 13 Years of ‘Cassandane’The collection features symbols of love, luck, and light, based on the story of Queen Cassandane and Cyrus the Great of Persia.
Events & AwardsMar 26, 2026
NAJA, Instappraise Introduce New ScholarshipIt’s the third scholarship to be launched as part of the partnership to help appraisers advance their professional credentials.
Events & AwardsMar 26, 2026
JA Still Accepting Entries for 2026 CASE AwardsThe deadline for entries in the jewelry design competition has been extended to April 3.
