SAN DIEGO -- The San Diego City Council opened Tuesday's meeting with individual tributes and a moment of silence in memory of District 4 Councilman Charles Lewis III.

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CHARLES LEWIS Images: Charles Lewis 1966-2004

"Charles was a very hard-working individual for the middle class and the less fortunate," Councilman Ralph Inzunza said. "It was those that needed the most help that Charles would stand up for."

Colleagues took turns sharing remembrances of Lewis, whose empty chair was draped with an American flag, his position at the council table marked with a white rose.

"It still hasn't sunk in for many of us. It is still difficult to deal with the shock to see the American flag draped over his council seat. It just doesn't seem real," said Inzunza, who knew Lewis for 20 years.

For the past two years, Brian Maienschein sat next to Lewis.

"Today was the day I was really dreading because I knew coming in here, how hard it would be because the first thing we always did was talk about what we did on the weekend," Maienschein said.

One by one, council members remembered a man who, they say, served District 4 with passion, conviction and wit.

Toni Atkins, a City Council member, said, "I don't know if people knew that Charles had a very wicked sense of humor and a twinkle in the eye as he started to speak sometimes."

Council members said Lewis leaves behind a great spirit, and some very big seat to fill.

City Council member Donna Frye said, "There will be no one that will be able to replace Charles Lewis in our hearts."

Mayor Dick Murphy said the 37-year-old councilman's death "weighs heavy on the hearts of this city, of this council. He earned the love, the respect, the admiration of the people he represented and his colleagues on the City Council."

A public viewing will be Thursday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. at New Creation Church, where Lewis attended. A funeral is scheduled for Friday at 11 a.m. at Bayview Baptist Church.

Lewis died Sunday afternoon at Kaiser Permanente San Diego Medical Center/Kaiser Foundation Hospital. An autopsy showed that Lewis died from bleeding veins in his esophagus, brought on by chronic hepatic cirrhosis of the liver and other problems, according to the San Diego County Medical Examiner. Lewis also suffered from hypertension, pancreatitis and gastritis, Medical Examiner's officials said Monday.