By: Melissa Wagoner Olesen ‘98
Some people leave a mark so lasting that it continues to shape a community long after they are gone. For the Shrine High School Class of 1998, Sarah Irene Lewis was that person.
Sarah’s laughter once echoed through Shrine’s hallways, all the way from Madame Crowley’s classroom down to Mrs. Callanan’s. Sarah was light and love and she spread joy wherever she went. She had a way of lifting spirits, encouraging classmates, and making everyone feel seen.
At Shrine, Sarah’s gifts were unmistakable. A member of the National Honor Society, Quiz Bowl Team, and The Observer staff, she had a remarkable ability to make even the ordinary compelling. As classmate Rachel Snow Dennis ’98 recalled, “Her writing was clear, witty, and captivating… she wrote in a way that her wonderful personality shined through.”
Perhaps one of Sarah’s greatest gifts was her ability to connect. Whether with her classmates at Shrine, or a young mother in Mexico City, Sarah’s genuine interest in others and her desire to make the most of every situation was a constant. Emily Broniak ‘98 fondly recalls the 1997 Spanish class trip to Spain, where Sarah’s enthusiasm for living every minute to its fullest made the trip so meaningful. “Sarah was just easily good at whatever she tried- and made it look effortless!” shared Emily.
After graduating with honors, Sarah attended the University of Michigan. She later earned a Master’s in Public Health from Harvard University and went on to complete her doctoral work at the University of California, Berkeley, where she was awarded her PhD posthumously. She received a number of awards throughout her career including the Groundwork Discipleship Award, the Claude Pepper Award for her service to the elderly, and the Edward McCardle Memorial Tribute Award for exceptional service in the legal profession.
Prior to her passing, Sarah was studying health care disparities and maternal health while working at the Michigan Department of Community Health. Helping the least among us and striving to make the world a more just place, she built upon the tenets of social justice she first learned at Shrine.
Sarah passed away in July 2020, just shy of her 40th birthday. Her loss has been immense for her family, her friends, and her colleagues. Inspired by the way Sarah lived, and in partnership with her mother, Mary Lewis, and her family, the class of 1998 established the Sarah Irene Lewis Memorial Scholarship Fund to honor her life and ensure that her legacy continues.
“I was most proud of the person she had become,” said Sarah’s mom, Mary Lewis. “From the time she was a baby, she was just so full of life. She just had to live it.”
The Class of ’98 hope to fully endow the scholarship so that future Shrine students are can pursue studies in the sciences or language arts that make a meaningful difference in the world just as Sarah did. “We hope they will come to know her brilliance as a scientist and writer, her deep love of animals, her ability to find joy in every situation, and her unwavering loyalty to friends and family.”
We invite you to prayerfully consider a gift to the Sarah Irene Lewis Scholarship Fund. A gift of any size will help the fund reach its goal and ensure Sarah’s light will continue to shine in the lives of Shrine students for generations to come.
