Lanalee (Cissy) Lewis
Sept. 18, 1950-Dec. 9, 2023
Santa Fe, New Mexico

Lanalee (Cissy) Lewis of Santa Fe and San Francisco, 73, passed away peacefully on December 9, 2023. She is survived by her brother Frank Lewis (Galina) of Fort Worth, Texas and two nephews: Chris Lewis (Lily) of San Francisco and Roman Ivanov (Aissa) of San Antonio, TX.

Cissy was born September 17, 1950, in Munich, Germany, to Col. Frank L. Lewis and Ruth Shirley Lewis. Born into a military family, she lived in many countries including Chile, where she became fluent in Spanish before the family returned to the U.S. She attended Stuart Hall in Staunton Virginia, earned a BA in English and Biology at The University of the South, an MA at the Bread Loaf School of English at Middlebury College, and a Ed.M. at Harvard University.

A former Academic Dean and Assistant Head of School at Castilleja School in Palo Alto, California, Cissy was a beloved English teacher whose Baccalaureate talks were long cherished by graduates. She was twice recognized with the Distinguished Teacher Award. She also taught at Harpeth Hall School in Tennessee, The Hockaday School in Texas, and served as an administrator at The Baylor School in Tennessee In San Francisco, Cissy was a devoted member of Grace Cathedral, and upon moving to Santa Fe, she became a member of The Church of the Holy Faith. Always the teacher, she contributed to the church community by presenting admired forums on a wide variety of topics including the connection between faith and the arts.

A service will be held at The Church of the Holy Faith in Santa Fe at 3:00 p.m. on January 13, 2024. A gathering of friends and family will also take place in San Francisco at a date yet to be determined.

Tags: teacher/educator