By Town Crier Staff Report

TOWN CRIER FILE PHOTO Lucille Liewer, shown here in 2000, had lived in Los Altos since 1913.

Lucille B. Liewer, an accomplished community activist who has called Los Altos home for 10 decades, died April 13 after a short illness. Mrs. Liewer was 98.

“She had a wonderful life,” said her son, Dick, retired associate superintendent of the Los Altos School District. “She went out peacefully.”

The daughter of Herman and Marie Bleibler, Mrs. Liewer was born July 22, 1906 just after the San Francisco earthquake. She was the second of four children. Bliebler was Palo Alto’s blacksmith, establishing his business on Forest and High streets.

Their Los Altos home on Cherry Avenue was built on a five-acre plot in 1912, with the children starting at Los Altos Grammar School in 1913. Mrs. Liewer went to school in a horse and buggy, and the family grew and raised most of their own food. In a 2000 interview, Mrs. Liewer recalled waking up at 6 a.m. to feed the chickens and collect eggs. She “loved school,” and recalled studying every evening by a kerosene lamp.

Mrs. Liewer graduated from Palo Alto High School in 1925, and then began classes at San Jose State College. With the Depression starting, she worked as a photographer, first at Crandall’s in Palo Alto, and then Whightman’s in the same city. She worked at this occupation until 1941. At age 21, she married Harold Baxter, who died five years later in a tragic fishing accident in Pacifica.

In 1939, she met Walter Liewer at a party put on by long-time Los Altans Joe and Winnie Amaral. They were married on Dec. 27, 1941, at McChord Field in Washington on a 24-hour pass. As Walter prepared with his flight squadron, he lost an eye in an airplane accident. The couple returned to Lucille’s 571 Cherry Ave. home (built in 1927) to live in 1942. They had two children, Dick, born in 1943, and Marilou born in 1948.

When Dick was a first grader at Hillview School, he volunteered his mom be the room mother. This began Mrs. Liewer’s long-term volunteer service in Los Altos. She served as PTA president in 1949-50, and then PTA council president. She was a recipient of the PTA Life Service Award.

From the mid-1950s to 1961, she served two terms as a trustee for the Los Altos School District. During this time, she worked closely with Supernintendent Ardis Egan on the building of many of Los Altos’ present schools.

In 1964, after Marilou entered Los Altos High School and Dude Angius was appointed principal, Angius persuaded Lucille to be the high school PTA president.

Mrs. Liewer was also a member of American Legion Post 558 in Los Altos for more than 50 years, serving as a chairperson of the group’s Girl’s State Model Government program for young women until she was nearly 90 years of age.

Among her other numerous volunteer efforts, she was remembered as a staunch supporter and volunteer of the American Cancer Society and the United Way. She was recognized in 1983 by the Los Altos Board Of Realtors with the prestigious Community Service Award.

However, she was most proud of her church work at the First Presbyterian Church in Palo Alto. There, she sang in the choir and taught Sunday School for nearly 20 years. Later, she was an active member of Palo Alto’s Covenant Presbyterian Church.

In 1976, Mrs. Liewer and her husband finished their cabin at South Lake Tahoe where they enjoyed many summers. She continued to be a vital force in the community until well into her 90s.

Mrs. Liewer told the Town Crier she wanted to be remembered first as a good mother, and then for her volunteer work.

“Education and young people have been my life,” she said. “I have been lucky enough to have the opportunity to serve the community.”

Her son Dick Liewer said right before her death, she lived to see Anne Pickford, grandson Jeremy’s fiancee; and Andrew Dessling, granddaughter Patricia’s fiancee, join the family.

Mrs. Liewer is survived by her son Dick Liewer, daughter Marilou Swanton, daughter-in-law Christine Liewer, son-in-law Robert Swanton; and grandchildren Jeremy and Nicholas Liewer and Alden and Patricia Swanton.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Walter, who died in 2002 at age 90.

A celebration of her life will be held 4 p.m., April 28, at Covenant Presbyterian Church, 670 E. Meadow Drive, Palo Alto.