Menu
Search by Name
Search by Name
Add a Memory
BORN
1953
DIED
2016
Sagan Lewis Obituary
Sagan Lewis, the actress known best for her role on the TV medical drama "St. Elsewhere," died Sunday after a long battle with cancer, according to UTA. She was 63.
Lewis played Dr. Jacqueline Wade on "St. Elsewhere" for the show's entire six-season run, from 1982 to 1988. Though she wasn't one of the show's top-billed stars, she was a regular throughout the series and appeared in its first episode. In the sixth season, she became featured in the opening credits.
Her character was a young surgical resident who was promoted to Chief Resident during the show's run, with some plots revolving around her crumbling marriage and a relationship with a co-worker in its aftermath.
Click to get weekly celebrity death news delivered to your inbox
Other roles for Lewis included a recurring part on "Homicide: Life on the Street" as Judge Susan Aandahl and a guest spot on one of the final episodes of "M*A*S*H." She also taught acting workshops at the Zaki Gordon Institute of Independent Film, as well as taking on the role of program director at the Sedona International Film Festival for several years.
A statement from the Sedona Film Festival on their Facebook page read in part, "She worked endless hours, often watching more than a thousand film entries herself, to choose the perfect films for our savvy Sedona audiences. She challenged us to listen to EVERY independent voice because 'they all have a place in our festival.'"
Lewis was married to writer and producer Tom Fontana, who wrote for "St. Elsewhere," in 1982. They divorced in 1993 but later reconnected, remarrying in 2015. He survives her, as does their son, Jade Scott Lewis.
Lewis requested memorial contributions to the Ocean Foundation. Of this request, Fontana noted, "To say that Sagan Lewis loved the ocean would be a massive understatement. The ocean and she were inseparable, no matter if she was on a beach in Maui or a mountain top in Sedona or walking along the grand canyons of New York City. The ocean fed her its life giving energy and she gave the ocean her beauty and devotion."
Memories and Condolences
for Sagan Lewis
24 Entries
Valenda Newell
November 17, 2016
My Prayers and thoughts are with the Family of Ms. Lewis. She was one of the greatest actresses of all time.
Harland Stanley
November 10, 2016
Those of us who only knew her from her TV appearances seem to have barely known this wonderful and caring soul who seems to have known there was value in every person's efforts. May those who knew her find comfort in the wonderful memories they shared with her. I'm so sorry for your loss.
Robin Rosenr
September 6, 2016
Too young and beautiful. Sagan will always be in our hearts.
Leslie
August 27, 2016
I would have liked to known you, but I was just a kid. Your candle burned out long before your legend ever will.....
Johnny Elton
August 16, 2016
Susie, Susie, Susie. You were my first childhood friend and we were inseparable on S 21st Street until we graduated from high school. Thanks for all of the good memories that I still treasure. RIP my friend.
Kathy McQuaid Getz
August 15, 2016
To Mr , Fontana
I am so very sorry for the loss of your wife,
Please accept my condolences and sympathies, may the peace that surpasses all understanding comforts you now and the days to come.
Andrea
August 13, 2016
May God bless you and your family in this time of sorrow.
E,S
August 13, 2016
Rest in peace Sagan. God bless your family.
Maryann Corbin Cary
August 12, 2016
allways will be remembered for your great work on st.elsewhere as dr.jacqueline wade rest in peace god bless!!!
joe king
August 12, 2016
So sorry for your loss. My mom and I watched St Elsewhere together and loved Sagan. I share her affinity for the ocean.
August 12, 2016
God bless you and your loved ones, dear Sagan ~ Rest in peace.
Jane Dowling
August 12, 2016
I did not know the actress' work but appreciate her love for nature and expressly the ocean, just one of God's majestic works. Its healing of the senses, emotions, restorative and invigorating powers may have given her much conscious peace when enduring and fighting her aggressive foe. God's means of curing, everlastingly, the ills now here will soon be a thing of the past. He is faithful and true. Psalms 103:All.
August 12, 2016
So sorry for your loss. May God grant you peace Jer 29:11
August 12, 2016
Peace.
Glen Hausfeld
August 11, 2016
May the love of friends and family carry you through your grief.
DS
August 11, 2016
rip
michele plakas-kaiser
August 11, 2016
so so sorry for your loss. May she be a Peace
August 11, 2016
Sagan, you were my mom in the southwest. I am so very lucky and grateful to have known and loved you, and be loved by you. I will treasure you and your kindness forever. Thank you for the best birthday ever in NYC! If I new it was going to be the last time I saw you, I would have never left. I will honor the oceans and feed the butterflies always. I love you
Meg Shapleigh
August 11, 2016
I am truly sorry for your loss. May the God of all comfort give your family strength and support during this difficult time. Deepest sympathies.
August 10, 2016
RIP!
Mary Green
August 10, 2016
Rest in Peace
Scott Chamberland
August 10, 2016
Godspeed, and thank you for sharing a part of your life with us.
Harry Simpson
August 10, 2016
I am very sorry to the friends and family for the loss. Soon there will come a time when we will never have to grieve the loss of a loved one in death ever again. Ps 37:9-11
Victoria Morris
August 10, 2016
Showing 1 - 24 of 24 results
How to support Sagan's loved ones
Commemorate a cherished Veteran with a special tribute of Taps at the National WWI Memorial in Washington, D.C.
The nightly ceremony in Washington, D.C. will be dedicated in honor of your loved one on the day of your choosing.
Read more
Should I Send Sympathy Flowers?
What kind of arrangement is appropriate, where should you send it, and when should you send an alternative?
Read more
What Should I Write in a Sympathy Card?
We'll help you find the right words to comfort your family member or loved one during this difficult time.
Read moreResources to help you cope with loss
Estate Settlement Guide
If you’re in charge of handling the affairs for a recently deceased loved one, this guide offers a helpful checklist.
Read more
Obituaries, grief & privacy: Legacy’s news editor on NPR podcast
Legacy's Linnea Crowther discusses how families talk about causes of death in the obituaries they write.
Read more
The Five Stages of Grief
They're not a map to follow, but simply a description of what people commonly feel.
Read moreWays to honor Sagan Lewis's life and legacy
Obituary Templates – Customizable Examples and Samples
These free blank templates make writing an obituary faster and easier.
Read more
Obituary Examples
You may find these well-written obituary examples helpful as you write about your own family.
Read more
How Do I Write a Eulogy?
Some basic help and starters when you have to write a tribute to someone you love.
Read moreMore ways to support the family
Visit the Sympathy Shop
Sponsored