Bulldog Foundation honors 3

Leo Wilson


June and Besley (Bess) Lewis

Three longtime supporters of Fresno State athletic were honored by the Bulldog Foundation at the 2004 Football Kickoff Dinner on Aug. 23.

Leo Wilson was presented the Bulldog Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award  for his three decades of service to the foundation and June and Besley (Bess) Lewis were honored with the Bulldog Spirit Award.

Before attending and swimming for Fresno State in the mid-1950’s, Wilson held the 50-yard breaststroke Valley record for several years while attending Porterville High School.   By the mid-60’s he had started his own home building company and was employing Bulldog student-athletes in the summers.

Wilson celebrated his 25th Silver Anniversary year as a Bulldog Foundation fund drive volunteer in the spring.   For the last several years he has been in the Top Ten among 300 fund drive players.   His efforts have resulted in $1.5 million being donated to Bulldog student-athlete scholarships.

Wilson joined the BDF’s Board of Trustees in 1983 and in the mid-’90’s began the officers’ positions, becoming Bulldog Foundation President in 1997.   He served in his presidential year on the feasibility committee, researching the possibility of bringing an events center onto campus.   He has continued service on the BDF’s Executive Committee as a Past President.

Throughout the last three decades, Wilson has been a friend and donor to the university and athletic department in offering his professional expertise and building skills on several campus additions and upgrades, including the construction of the Smittcamp Alumni House.

For more than 10 years, Leo has served as a community member on the university’s Athletic Corporation Board, the group that maintains oversight on the athletic department’s budget and operation.   He also has been an important member of many university selection committees in the hiring of university administrative and athletic personnel.

Bulldog Spirit Award

The Bulldog Foundation inaugurated the Bulldog Spirit Award four years ago as an opportunity to thank those people who are special to Fresno State athletics.   The criterion for selection is neither Bulldog Foundation affiliation nor monetary giving.   What is important is a demonstration of the true Bulldog spirit to support and improve Fresno State athletics with commitment, vision and dedication.

Bess Lewis passed away in November 1996 and June Lewis resides in a nursing home in diminishing health.   Their son, Bess Lewis Jr., accepted the 2004 Bulldog Spirit Award on behalf of his parents.

Bess Lewis was a track athlete at Fresno State and just before graduating in 1939 helped raise some money so a few Bulldogs could take a train back to the Drake Relays in Iowa.   They used bank bags to store the money and when they paid train fare in Wyoming directly from the bank bags, they got arrested because a local bank robbery had just occurred. While their alibi was being checked, the police liked them so well they allowed the Bulldog athletes to go outside to work out.

Mr. Lewis was Varsity F president and helped conceive the idea and then construct a Varsity F letterman box in Ratcliffe Stadium.   He helped organize the Quarterback Club in 1947 and continued to give his special invocations right up to his passing. He was a vice president of the Bulldog Foundation.

For years Mr. Lewis was head clerk of the course at the West Coast Relays.   He hosted backyard dinners prior to the start of each football season for the coaches.   The Lewis’ bought more tickets then they could ever use to help support fledgling Bulldog athletic teams.   When no basketball awards dinner was going to be held in coach Ed Gregory’s last year, June and Bess hosted one in their home for the team and coaches.

Besides raising four sons who all attended Fresno State, June was charter member of the Bulldog Women’s Foundation and served two years as president.   For many years, she was a fund drive leader on the Bulldog Foundation’s annual drive and a member of the board of trustees.