Lewis Randolph Amis

Lewis Randolph Amis, Jr., "Randy", a resident of Charleston, South Carolina, died on September 29, 2025, at age 95. He was born on January 4, 1930, to Lewis R. Amis, Sr. and Anne Townsend Dudley in Newark, New Jersey. He leaves behind his wife, Dorothy Porcher Amis. His first wife, Mary Sue Scott Amis "Scotty" died on November 25, 1997. Known professionally as Lewis, Randy was a Labor Arbitrator from 1974 until his retirement at age 80. Avocationally, Randy was a devoted gardener, a birder, a fly fisherman, a lover of literature and a keen observer of politics. A man of faith, Randy was a lifelong Episcopalian, most recently as a member of Grace Church Cathedral of Charleston, South Carolina.

Randy grew up in Bronxville, New York and Petersburg, Virginia on the shores of the Appomattox River. He attended Hamilton College in Clinton, New York with the class of 1950 starting at age sixteen. Randy completed his undergraduate work at the University of Maryland during and following his service in the U.S. Air Force. In the Air Force he attained the rank of First Lieutenant and was a pilot of B-45 jet bombers. Randy was initially stationed in Sculthorpe, England, during which time, his first child, L. Randolph Amis III was born. The family then returned to the United States where he was stationed at Langley field in Virginia, during which time his second child, Nancy Cole Amis, was born. Randy was then transferred to Vincent AFB near Yuma, Arizona. He earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Maryland in Tacoma Park, Maryland in 1958. Randy went on to pursue his PhD in English literature at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri.

The family lived in Manchester, Missouri on a rural property in an old farmhouse with a barn with horses and chickens and a vegetable garden. Needing to supplement his wife’s income as a registered nurse, Randy sought the advice of members of his church, the Church of the Good Shepherd in Town and Country, Missouri. His friends and advisors at church introduced him to people working at Granite City Steel company across the Mississippi River from St. Louis in Granite City Illinois. Randy accepted a job in public relations, drawing on his writing skills. From Granite City Steel, he transferred to Southern Electric Steel Company in Birmingham, Alabama, then to Wheeling Steel in Wheeling, West Virginia, then to Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel Company in Monessen, Pennsylvania. Randy and Scotty moved the family once again, this time to Washington, Pennsylvania.

In 1974, after 9 years in the steel industry, including duties in management and labor relations, Randy left Wheeling Pittsburgh Steel and struck out on his own as a labor arbitrator - joining the National Academy of Arbitration and the American Arbitration Association. He worked as an independent, and, as he would be sure to add, impartial arbitrator for nearly 40 years, retiring at the age of 80. He heard cases all over the East Coast from Florida, New Jersey, Ohio, Kentucky, West Virginia and his home state at the time, Pennsylvania.

During their time in Washington, Randy and Scotty were members of Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania where they became good friends with Dorothy Porcher. Randy and Dorothy were married in January 1999.

To hold and recall his memory, Randy leaves behind his wife of 26 years, Dorothy. Randy is also survived by his brother, George Townsend Amis of Santa Cruz, CA; his children; L. Randolph "Randy" Amis III and his spouse Jane, and Nancy Cole Amis and her spouse Frederick J. "Rick" Leary; five grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.

His funeral service will be held Saturday, October 18, 2025 in Grace Church Cathedral, 98 Wentworth Street at 11:00 AM. Arrangements by J. Henry Stuhr, Inc. Downtown Chapel.

Randy will be greatly missed by his family and friends - his humor and dry wit, his curiosity and love of the natural world, his love of good food and libations, his skill in telling a good story and a few colorful limericks, and of course, his beautiful voice when singing Good Night Irene.

Donations in Randy’s memory may be made to a charity of your choice; Grace Church Cathedral in Charleston, SC; The National Audubon Society; Trout Unlimited; or to the Nature Conservatory of SC.