Judith "Pipsi" Pi'ilani Lee Lewis' Obituary
On September 10, 2023, Judith Pi'ilani Lee Lewis passed away at age 91, surrounded by her loving children.
Judith was born in Honolulu, Hawaii on July 20, 1932. After graduating from Honolulu's St. Andrews Priory, she earned a bachelor's degree in psychology from the University of Hawaii before adventuring to New York City, where she earned her MA from Columbia University's Teacher's College. She worked several years as a Special Ed teacher on Long Island before she and her former husband, David Lewis, moved to Montclair, New Jersey, where they raised their three children, Stephen, Susan, and Stacy. As her children grew up, Judith returned to the workforce as a Cultural Diversity Training Supervisor for AT&T, blazing early trails to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace before retiring back to Hawaii in 1990. She remained in Hawaii until moving to Denver to be with her daughters for her remaining time.
Judith was a loving mother, grandmother, sister, and friend. She was a kind, caring person, a talented poet, and a fabulous cook, bringing a unique sense of grace, intellectual curiosity, and kindness to everyone and every situation she faced. Her wisdom and courage will be deeply missed.
Judith is survived by her son Stephen (Mo) Lewis, Susan (Joe) Lewis, Stacy (Russell) Lewis, grandson Julian Lewis, her sister, Frances Ching, and other loved ones in Hawaii. She was preceded in death by her father Stephen Lee, her mother Evangeline Maluo, and her brother, Gerald Lee. Judith will be returning to her homeland of Hawaii in a private ceremony to complete the circle of her life with family and friends.
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