Zannette Eloise Lewis, aged 63 years, of Hamden, Connecticut, departed this life on September 25, 2009. Zannette was born July 19, 1946 in Richmond, Virginia to her loving parents, Gladys Elizabeth Lewis of Richmond, Virginia and the late Otto Ellis Lewis. She is survived by her mother, her loving son and granddaughter, Tchad Jemahl Moore and Sofiya Jess Z’Oya Moore of Silver Spring, Maryland, as well as her brother Otto Ellis Lewis, Jr. of Silver Spring and her sister Sandra Elizabeth Lewis of Los Angeles. “Z”, as she was known by many in the community, was an active member of many organizations, to which she willingly gave her talents, her strength, and her life. Some of the organizations that benefited most from her service include the New Haven Chapter of Links, Inc., the Arts Council of Greater New Haven, the New Haven Historical Society, the National Council of Negro Women, the Astrological Society of Connecticut, and the Yale University Peabody Museum. Z worked at the Connecticut State Department of Higher Education as the New Haven Coordinator of the GEAR UP Project. As Coordinator, she helped increase the number of low-income students prepared to enter and succeed in postsecondary education. Zannette has been a source of wisdom and a force of goodness for the many communities she has willingly served over the years of her too-short life. She will leave a lasting impression for many years to come. A celebration of Zannette’s life will be held Wednesday September 30, 2009 at 10:00 a.m. at the Episcopal Church of St. Paul and St. James, corner of Chapel Street and Olive Street. Friends may call Wednesday at the church from 9:00 – 10:00 a.m. Services by Howard K. Hill Funeral Services of 1287 Chapel Street, New Haven, Connecticut. A reflection of life memorial service will take place Wednesday September 30, 2009 at 6:00 PM at the church. To leave a message of comfort for the Lewis family, please visit www.hkhfuneralservices.com. The family asks that those wishing to make donations in Zannette’s memory do so to the Arts Council of Greater New Haven.
Zannette was a great supporter of the Peabody Museum. She enriched our public programs and enriched the lives of our staff with her experience, passion for youth and personal friendship. Zannette was instrumental in the growth and expansion of our annual Martin Luther King Day celebrations for over a decade. We will miss her.