The community and School District has lost a very special
person. Live Oak High School counselor Susan Lewis of Morgan Hill
died Sunday, Feb. 23, following a courageous battle with lung
cancer.
The community and School District has lost a very special person. Live Oak High School counselor Susan Lewis of Morgan Hill died Sunday, Feb. 23, following a courageous battle with lung cancer.
Services are pending at Johnson Funeral Home.
Susan has been an outstanding counselor and special education teacher at Live Oak High School since September 1988. An advocate for students, she always considered their educational and emotional needs. Her commitment and dedication surpassed mere professionalism. She supported her coworkers as a respected educational leader through countless workshops, mentoring and individual support. Her knowledge and love of education lives on in the classrooms of all who have been influenced by her warm spirit, strong educational values and personal integrity. Susan loved children and loved being around them.
As a special education teacher and department chair, she worked hard at developing programs that provided students the skills necessary to be successful in high school. Susan also instituted collaborative programs where special education teachers and regular education teachers jointly taught courses. These collaborative programs helped students transition from the more protective special education environment to the mainstream courses. She was top notch in everything she did.
Susan continued her advocacy for students as a guidance counselor. Three years ago, she joined the Live Oak High School counseling staff where she continued her role of helping students to achieve their potential. Her keen listening skills and compassion helped her understand students’ needs and find ways to address them.
As an integral member of the Live Oak community, Susan assisted everyone who came across her path. She was incapable of saying no to a person in need. Many people came by Susan’s office just to be touched by her warm smile and the little nod she gave showing them that she understood what was needed.
Along with being a counselor and special education teacher, Susan served as the adviser for the Live Oak High School Interact Service Club, which is associated with the Rotary Club. Here she helped students make the connection with the community through service projects and volunteerism. She worked side by side with the Morgan Hill Rotarians in order to expand the horizons of all students who participated in Interact. Susan helped organize guest speakers and projects that helped local citizens as well as people in need throughout the world.
While a member of the Rotary Club she was awarded a Paul Harris fellowship.
Susan was a truly exceptional person whose loving and caring attitude made her a vital part of the Live Oak High School educational community. She will be sorely missed by both staff and students. Susan showed students, parents, educators and the community the true meaning of an angel.
Each Christmas she would receive cards from former and present students recalling experiences.
Born in Wichita, Kansas, Susan grew up in the suburbs of Philadelphia in a family that included brothers Robert, Richard and Jim Peavy. She also is survived by sons James, of San Carlos, and Matthew, of Boston.
While a sophomore in high school, she met her future husband, Dan. They married following their graduation from Mount Union College in Alliance, Ohio. Susan earned a master’s degree in learning disabilities from the University of Texas at Austin and later a master’s in counseling.
She served as a local chapter director and president and regional director of Delta Kappa Gamma, a women’s educational honor sorority. She helped develop a literacy program for residents of the emergency housing Boccardo Center in San Martin.
Susan was 59.
Family members expressed thanks for support in the past year from the many teachers, friends and others in the community with special thanks to Susan’s angels, Jacqui Kanode and Cindy Miller.
