Sarah Irene Lewis
1980-07-28 2020-07-11
Sarah Irene Lewis, born on July 28, 1980, in Ruston, Louisiana, passed away on July 11, 2020, at University Hospital in Ann Arbor, Michigan, at age 39. With her unforgettable laugh, warm smile, glowing personality and quick wit, our beloved Sarah will be forever missed by so many. Sarah had an unparalleled ability to put people at ease and brought out the best in those around her. Her loss is indescribable and immeasurable, yet her spark lives on in those she has touched.
Born to Mary Louise Lewis and Dr. Spencer Breard Lewis, M.D., Sarah is survived by her mother; sister, Judith Lewis; and brother, Spencer Lewis. At age 7, Sarah moved with her mother, sister and brother to Ferndale, Michigan, which remained "home" no matter where her education, jobs or travels took her. Along with her siblings, Sarah attended Shrine of the Little Flower Catholic School starting in the third grade, becoming proud graduates of Shrine High School. The friendships Sarah developed at Shrine remained with her, lasting a lifetime.
An esteemed scholar, Sarah earned her Bachelor's Degree in Spanish and Latin American and Caribbean Studies from the University of Michigan, a Master's Degree from the Harvard School of Public Health, and was pursuing her doctorate at the University of California Berkeley in health policy. Inspired by her mother, a nurse-midwife, her father, a physician, and her own experiences abroad, Sarah was a passionate advocate for quality health care for the underserved. Her work over the last fifteen years, including at the Instituto Nacional de Salud Publica in Mexico and most recently Michigan's Department of Health and Human Services, demonstrated her dedication to that cause.
Despite her many notable achievements and academic success, Sarah's mother often told her that she was most proud of her daughter's kindness and generosity. Her relationships with her siblings were among her most cherished. Sarah's indelible sense of humor, authenticity, and grace were cherished by all. She was deeply compassionate and embraced her friends and family with an open heart and mind.
With an adventurous spirit and unbridled enthusiasm for life, Sarah lived each day to it's fullest. Ecuador, Mexico, Washington D.C., Massachusetts, Michigan and California all became home. She made the most of each opportunity, finding lifelong friends across the world with whom she shared laughs and long conversations into the night. It is not how she left us that defines Sarah's remarkable spirit, but rather her unabashed zest for life. We are better for having known this unmistakably unique and genuine soul, and today we celebrate her life with the passion and gusto with which she lived it.
Born to Mary Louise Lewis and Dr. Spencer Breard Lewis, M.D., Sarah is survived by her mother; sister, Judith Lewis; and brother, Spencer Lewis. At age 7, Sarah moved with her mother, sister and brother to Ferndale, Michigan, which remained "home" no matter where her education, jobs or travels took her. Along with her siblings, Sarah attended Shrine of the Little Flower Catholic School starting in the third grade, becoming proud graduates of Shrine High School. The friendships Sarah developed at Shrine remained with her, lasting a lifetime.
An esteemed scholar, Sarah earned her Bachelor's Degree in Spanish and Latin American and Caribbean Studies from the University of Michigan, a Master's Degree from the Harvard School of Public Health, and was pursuing her doctorate at the University of California Berkeley in health policy. Inspired by her mother, a nurse-midwife, her father, a physician, and her own experiences abroad, Sarah was a passionate advocate for quality health care for the underserved. Her work over the last fifteen years, including at the Instituto Nacional de Salud Publica in Mexico and most recently Michigan's Department of Health and Human Services, demonstrated her dedication to that cause.
Despite her many notable achievements and academic success, Sarah's mother often told her that she was most proud of her daughter's kindness and generosity. Her relationships with her siblings were among her most cherished. Sarah's indelible sense of humor, authenticity, and grace were cherished by all. She was deeply compassionate and embraced her friends and family with an open heart and mind.
With an adventurous spirit and unbridled enthusiasm for life, Sarah lived each day to it's fullest. Ecuador, Mexico, Washington D.C., Massachusetts, Michigan and California all became home. She made the most of each opportunity, finding lifelong friends across the world with whom she shared laughs and long conversations into the night. It is not how she left us that defines Sarah's remarkable spirit, but rather her unabashed zest for life. We are better for having known this unmistakably unique and genuine soul, and today we celebrate her life with the passion and gusto with which she lived it.