Dr. Angela ‘Angie’ Yvette Armstrong Radford Lewis passed away January 18, 2019 at her home in Johnson City, TN. Angela was born on July 30, 1962 to the late Walter and Dorothy Armstrong in Columbia, Tennessee where she spent her

childhood years, attending Maury County Public Schools.

After attending Columbia State Community College, Angela completed her Bachelor of Science degree in Home Economics with Consumer Services at Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) in 1984. Three years later she earned

a second Bachelor of Science degree from MTSU in Vocational Economics Education. Less than a decade later, she returned to her beloved alma mater where she earned a Masters degree in Vocational-Technical Education.

 

In 2003, Angela graduated from The University of Tennessee in Knoxville with a PhD in Human Ecology. Angela also earned her Funeral Directors Certificate from John A. Gupton College in 2017 and had hopes of soon opening her own funeral business with her son Jonathan. 

A lifelong educator, Angela taught middle and high school home economics in Bayou La Batre and Loachapoka, Alabama and in Columbus, Mississippi in the late 1980s and early 1990s. During that time she received the Governor of Alabama Golden Apple Teacher Award and a host of other recognitions for her work in the classroom. After several years in the classroom, Angela transitioned to the Tennessee State Department of Education where she served as an education consultant and state advisor in the late 1990s. 

Her career in higher education began when she returned to MTSU as a faculty member in the Department of Human Sciences in 1998 and, in 2003 she received the University’s Outstanding Teacher Award. In 2004, she took her first administrative role at East Tennessee State University (ETSU) as chair of the former Department of Family and Consumer Sciences. In 2009, Angela moved to the Clemmer College of Education, where she served for five years as an Associate Dean and 17 months as the Interim Dean. In 2015, Angela moved to the office of academic affairs and served as the Associate Vice Provost for undergraduate education for curricula, programs, and service. After she completed a fellowship with the American Council on Education (ACE) at James Madison University in 2017, she was promoted to Vice Provost and Special Assistant to the President for Strategic Initiatives at ETSU. 

Angela was an active career-long member of the American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences where she received the 2015 Distinguished Service Award for her tireless accomplishments in the field. She also was a proud member of the Kappa Omicron Nu National Honor Society.

While Angela scaled the ranks of success in education, she became a devout follower of the Lord Jesus Christ at an early age and faithfully served the Christian Church until her death. Angela served as a choir member, health ministry member, missionary, Christian education teacher, pastor’s aid, education-support volunteer, and most proudly as an usher. 

Over the span of more than 50 years, Angela was blessed to be a part of congregations at the former 14th & Phillip Street Original Church of God, Ebenezer Baptist Church, Mount Vernon Missionary Baptist Church, Bethesda Original Church of God and Friendship Baptist Church. In addition to supporting her pastors and local churches, Angela served in several leadership capacities at the district level, most recently as Usher President for the Bethel District Baptist Association. 

Angela also had a passion for public speaking and ministering inside and outside of the church as she delivered hundreds of speeches proclaiming a message of excellence, hope, and faith in God to people across the nation. 
In every community she lived, Angela quickly built and nurtured relationships with those she met. Even more, she worked as a fierce advocate for education, seniors, and health awareness. Most recently she served as board member for United Way of Washington County, TN, Inc., Boys & Girls Club of Johnson City/Washington County, Johnson City Public Schools Foundation, Inc., Johnson City Senior Services Advisory Council, and the African American Health Education Religion News, Incorporated (AHERN) Board of Directors.

Angela enjoyed seven wonderful years of marriage to the late Coach Ralph Stacey Radford before he passed in 1994. Five years later, she joyfully entered holy matrimony with Emanuel Lewis on September 25, 1999. 

Angela leaves behind Emanuel and her loving son, Jonathan Stacey Radford of Jacksonville, FL along with three beloved sisters – Waltnelle (Warren) Boyd of Indianapolis, IN, Brenda (Ronald) Walker of Columbia, TN, Sherrill (Clifford) Woods of Nashville, TN and an adopted brother Elder Samuel (Amaryllis) McDonald of Mesquite, TX. Additionally, she leaves behind an uncle, Floyd (Mildred) Smith, and an aunt, Carolyn Smith. Angela’s beautiful smile, memories, and legacy will be cherished by a host of adopted sons and daughters, nieces, nephews, cousins, in-laws, friends, colleagues, former students, church, and community members for years to come.

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