Dates
The Universe lost a bright and beautiful star on November 28, 2023, with the sudden passing of Laura Lee Lewis. Her untimely death has brought a profound loss to her family and her many dear friends and colleagues. Laura was a superbly rare and adored individual. A former intern perfectly wrote, “Laura epitomized connections, conviction, and love.”
Laura was born in Japan on Pearl Harbor Day to Jerold and Mary Lewis on December 7, 1967, while the family was stationed at Misawa AFB. The family then lived in Brindisi, Italy before retiring to San Angelo, Texas, in 1972.
Laura embraced the San Angelo community and considered herself a native. She attended McGill Elementary, Robert E. Lee Junior High, and graduated from Central High School in 1986. She attended Angelo State University before pursuing her love for travel and adventure. She became a flight attendant for Delta Airlines out of Dallas before transferring her home base to Salt Lake City, Utah. Laura loved living in the mountain town of Park City, Utah, where in addition to working for Delta, she worked at Deer Valley Resort. This allowed Laura to engage in her favorite pastimes…snowboarding, snow skiing, hiking, mountain biking, and golfing in the fresh mountain air.
She traveled the world during her 25-year career for Delta, often convincing family to travel with her and share in the privilege of seeing the world. Her summers were spent in Ashland, Wisconsin, at Loon Lake, where she enjoyed spending treasured time with extended family, and where the family made cherished memories and Laura always stole the show.
She returned to San Angelo in 2015, to help care for her mother, and once again fell deeply in love with San Angelo, making it her permanent home.
While in San Angelo, Laura became very involved in the community she so deeply loved, and brought life, energy, and excitement to everything she touched. She served as membership coordinator for the San Angelo Chamber of Commerce, championing local businesses, before being promoted to Vice President of Member Relations. Subsequently, she was hired as the district director for State Senator Charles Perry. When not working her job, Laura gave countless hours to causes and non-profit organizations that benefitted the community. She was particularly fond of the San Angelo Clubhouse, where she served on the advisory council, the W.H.I.T program, and the Pachyderm Club where she was past president. There was no one more committed to the causes she believed in, and these organizations will be forever impacted for her enormous contributions.
One of Laura’s greatest joys was being a stepmother to Kassidy Braddock and Tyler Tanner. She came into their lives when they were 3 and 5 years old and was extraordinarily proud of their achievements.
A beauty inside and out, Laura was fierce, funny and had an unmatched zest for life. A short twenty-one months ago, she began dating Joe Will Ross who became the love of her life. They had planned to share the rest of their lives together, but God had other plans for Laura. She will be forever missed by her love Joe Will, and the countless friends and family who adored her.
Memorial services for Laura Lee Lewis will take place at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in San Angelo on December 7, 2023 at 10:00 AM. Immediately following the services, a community-wide reception will be held at ASU’s LeGrand Alumni Center from 11:45 am to 2 pm. Everyone is welcome.
Laura is survived by her siblings Jerry Lewis (Patte) of Wausau, WI, Sue (John) Groat of Granite Bay, CA, Terry Lewis of Austin, TX, Judy (Don) Gruber of Loomis, CA, Sherry Taylor of San Angelo, TX, stepchildren Kassidy (Ashton) Braddock and Tyler (Robyn) Tanner of San Angelo, TX. Additional family surviving Laura include five cousins, eight nieces and nephews, and four step-grandchildren.
Laura was preceded in death by her grandparents, John and Marjorie Trogan of Ashland, WI, Harry and Etra Lewis of Ashland, WI, mother Mary E. Lewis of San Angelo, TX, father Jerold D. Lewis and her step-mother Catherine Lewis of San Angelo, TX. In lieu of flowers, donations to the San Angelo Clubhouse and W.H.I.T in Laura’s memory are forever appreciated. More information on these organizations can be found at www.sanangeloclub-house.org and www.whitprogram.org.
San Angelo Clubhouse
404 S. Irving
San Angelo, TX 76903
W.H.I.T
P.O. Box 928
San Angelo, TX 76902