Dear Christa, Bettina, and families,
I am writing on behalf of my mom, Nancy Coder Shehi. Mom isn't using computers anymore, so I googled your mom to see if she was still at the same address in El Cajon and sadly found this moving tribute site. Both mom and I want to send our deep condolences on the loss of your mom. Nancy was on the team that opened the Sensory Integration Treatment Center, and she greatly respected your mom's expertise. I remember that your mom was always so kind and fun. May you find ways to honor her life as you grieve. Warmly, Nancy and Susanna

I knew Lois from the time I was a little boy when she came to visit our family in Sweden. She was proud to have Swedish parents. As an adult I visited Lois several times, both in Lucas Valley and San Diego. She was very caring and selfless and I remember her memory bears. They were touching. She was a very important part of my family and I had hoped for one more visit but it was not to be. She will be sadly missed but I am grateful to have had the honour of knowing her.

Thinking of Lois brings back fond memories of our neighborhood in Lucas Valley, CA. We were good friends and enjoyed those fun carefree days with young children. I was in awe of her creative skills and my girls were recipients of dolls and doll clothes. I will be forever grateful to her when my 7 month old son fell ill and she advised immediate medical treatment. He mysteriously contracted spinal meningitis and due to her help, he recovered without any lasting effects. Her medical perception was key to that. Thank you, Lois.
After she moved to San Diego, I only saw her once. We sat in the sun and had ice cream cones and talked fondly of those early years. She was always happy, enthusiastic, helpful and kind. I was fortunate enough to be her friend in return. Sondy Adams-Walczak

I had known Lois for over 20 years. I still vividly remember how interesting and inspiring our first encounter was. During the course of our conversation, Lois asked me if I had read Thomas Friedman’s book, “From Beirut to Jerusalem “. Having been born and raised in Lebanon, I felt an embarrassment for not having read the book but , at the same time, I was filled with admiration for Lois great intellect. Over the years , I have come to know Lois as an enlightened person who was well read and well traveled. She was a critical thinker who brought mental bandwidth as well as immense delight to every discourse. Her kindness, her open-mindedness and, above all, her humanity left an indelible mark on every member of my family. Rita, Carmelina, Anthony and I sorely miss her.

I have very fond memories of my first trip on an airplane to San Francisco at the age of 7 where I met Lois for the first time. I remember her helping Ronnie and I clean out the mussels that we got from Fisherman’s Wharf so that we could add them to our shell collection when we got back home to San Diego. As I got older, I valued our many conversations at family get-togethers and enjoyed living vicariously through the photo albums she loved to show of her travels around the world. Rosa and I will miss her and keep her in our hearts.

We loved Lois, knew her for about 20 years, We will always carry her in our hearts. May God treasure her into his family. Love to the family. P.S Lois was a great lady, and we’ll always love her! ❤️❤️Metta

Lois was a dear friend of my mother, Mary Lou Moore. I was sole caregiver to Mary Lou 2010-2011 and Lois would come over to spell me for a couple hours a week so I could get away. Lois taught me to have patience and perspective in dealing with an aged parent, saying to me, --It may seem to go on and on, but it (end of life struggles with a parent) lasts a very short while, so value every minute with your mother--. So I did. Lois' cheer and love helped buoy me up. Such a lovely woman.

My mother was Lois' first cousin. She remembered Lois as a "difficult" little girl who grew into the nicest person ever. I knew and loved Lois and she was my favorite relative. When I was a little girl she made a clown for me called "Benny". Benny has been with me ever since and he is sitting in my bedroom now. 

It’s my honor to share some valuable memories of all the wonderful moments my family and I spent with our beloved Lois.

Lois was considered as a close member of our family. Therefore, we were profoundly grateful when she was present in mostly all our gatherings, adding always a unique touch to our celebrations, and mainly to our conversations.

Lois was constantly sharing her vast and thorough knowledge with everyone, not only with the adults, but also with the youngest members of the family. Her great awareness of various subjects and topics made the dialogue with her extremely interesting, informational, and certainly unforgettable. We all agreed to say that her knowledge was encyclopedic!

Furthermore, Lois was loved by every single person she met. She was so considerate, so caring, and so beautiful that she will always live in everyone’s heart. Although Lois is missed a lot, she will be remembered forever.

Tina sent us multiple pictures of Lois with us, but I am attaching a photo that was taken in November 2017 in our last Thanksgiving celebration to say, “Thank you Dearest Lois for all the precious moments we spent together. We love you deeply! May your Blessed Soul Rest in Peace.”

Love,

Nada Sawaya and Family

From the day I met Lois, when beginning my first job as a Physical Therapist, in 1963, until our final get together in 2019 in Santee, I could count on sharing some great laughs. Lois was everything that Bettina has so beautifully captured in the beautiful picture book, her lovely writing, and the gorgeous rendition of "Amazing Grace" here!
What a wonderful idea to create this fabulous website for all of us to express a memory or thought about Lois. Lois was a dear friend for 58 years! What I will remember most vividly about her is how hilarious she was--she left me with a smile after every meeting and I will smile each time I think of her.
Love, Jean