Priscilla Rosenkrans Lewis of Mystic, CT passed away peacefully at home on September 3rd, 2016.
She was born in Pittsburgh, PA. On August 8, 1921 to Paul Rosenkrans and Frances H. Barkley Rosenkrans. She grew up in Canton, OH. With her mother and Aunts family. She then relocated with her mother to Wellsville, NY in the 30’s. She was an honor student at Wellsville High School, graduating class poet and 2nd in her class in 1939. It was this time when she met the love of her life, Lester B. Lewis. They were married in Buffalo, NY June 10, 1943. Her husband was in the Navy having joined in 1940. He returned to the Pacific Arena after they honeymooned in Boston, New York and Hornell. They moved to Mystic, CT in 1952 with their two daughters, Susan Gail and Cynthia Jan. She was active in the community. She led a Brownie/Girl Scout Troop; contributing to many bake sales to raise money for Broadway school and Stonington High School band boosters.
She worked in the Stonington school system for eons. She was secretary to principal at the Broadway School, Mystic Junior High, Stonington Education Department and then on to UCONN Avery Point branch, Secretary to the Dean. After retiring from her secretarial career she worked at the Mystic Seaport for 40 years as an interpreter of exhibits. She was always cheerful and helpful to the visitors and remembered by museum staff as extremely knowledgeable and caring.
She was predeceased by Lester B. Lewis in 1987 and her mother in 1990. She is survived by her daughters Susan Gail Lewis and CJ Lewis, granddaughters Stacey Dean and Kate Dean French and three grandchildren, Steven Dean, Cheyenne Holliday and Cody Holliday.
She was an avid reader. She shared her love of books and reading by delivering books to shut-ins on behalf of the Mystic Noank Library. A bench was donated to the library in 2001. It has a plaque on it asking viewers to “Rest and be thankful” to honor Priscilla R. Lewis. It was a phrase she and her husband brought back with them from an area in Scotland where they had lived for 5 years.
Private burial will be at Elm Grove Cemetery. Donations in her memory may be made to any charity her friends deemed worthy.
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