Priscilla Ellen Sawicki

Priscilla Ellen Smith Sawicki, 75, passed peacefully on August 14, 2016 at Willow Valley Communities, after a courageous battle with multiple myeloma. Priscilla was born in Detroit, Michigan to Dr. William Shepherd and Rena Stringari Smith. She grew up around the world as the daughter of a U.S. Army doctor. After attending 12 schools in the U.S., Japan and Germany, she graduated as valedictorian of her high school class in Frankfurt, Germany. She then attended Duke University and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Education as a Phi Beta Kappa. Priscilla will be lovingly remembered by her husband and best friend, Charles “Chuck” Andrew Sawicki. They married in Fort Monroe, Virginia on July 28, 1962. This July, they celebrated their 54th wedding anniversary. They had four children, Annie, Cindy, Chip and Michael. The family enjoyed a life enriched by travel, living many different places in the U.S. and Canada—including Missouri, Arkansas, Chicago, Toronto, New Jersey, Florida and North Carolina. Priscilla and Chuck moved to Lancaster in November of 2014. Priscilla took comfort knowing she would be joining her littlest angel, her son, Michael, who preceded her in death in 1973. In addition to her husband Chuck, she is survived by her daughter, Annie, and her husband Marty, and grandchildren Cody and Katie; her daughter, Cindy Sawicki, and grandchildren Mike Kin and Jake Kin of Lancaster; her son, Chip Sawicki, and his wife, Lisa Sawicki, and grandchildren Zach Sawicki and Trent Sawicki of Charlotte, NC; her brother, Shepherd Smith, his wife, Anita Smith of Virginia, and nieces Laura Dyner of Palo Alto, CA and Lanz Hubbard of Charlottesville, VA, nephew Will Smith of Texas; and sister-in-law, Linda Smith of Virginia. We will deeply miss Priscilla’s family stories, smiles, sense of humor, cards on every occasion, pragmatic sensibilities, and, most of all, her compassion and generosity. She will forever be in our hearts. Priscilla’s first career, while raising four children, was teaching elementary school. She taught first, second, and third grade in eight schools for 24 years, touching the lives of her students with her warmth and enthusiastic support, especially to students who required deeper understanding of their learning differences. Her second successful career was as a Real Estate Agent and Broker, winning numerous awards, mostly with Re/Max in Stuart, Florida. Priscilla possessed a sincere interest in the lives of others and positively influenced countless people, in particular individual family members and the young people she mentored. In retirement, she enjoyed volunteering in elementary schools, tutoring immigrants working towards U.S. citizenship, and traveling throughout the world, including 100 countries and all 50 states. Some of her favorite places included northern Italy where her mother lived and her childhood home of Japan. Priscilla’s last “bucket list” adventure was a family trip to Rwanda, Africa, trekking gorillas in 2014. Above all things, she loved spending time with her family. Priscilla’s life will be celebrated at a private family gathering. She will be interred with her son in Mississauga, Ontario at a later date. Priscilla was committed throughout her life to making a difference for those around her, especially young people with learning differences and immigrants to our country. In her honor, we hope you will consider continuing her good work of showing generosity to those most in need. For those of you touched personally by the gift of Priscilla’s compassion, please “pay it forward” and show that same compassion to others. In lieu of flowers, kindly consider a memorial contribution in Priscilla’s name to the Ann B. Barshinger Cancer Institute (c/o LG Health Foundation, 609 N. Cherry St., Lancaster PA 17603.