Tanis Ellyn Cooper Weiss

Tanis Ellyn Cooper Weiss

April 29, 1941 – September 2, 2026

Tanis Ellyn Cooper Weiss, a woman of boundless curiosity, fierce intelligence, and deep devotion to her family and closest friends, passed away peacefully on September 2, 2026, at the age of 85, with her beloved daughters Kira and Krenna by her side, each holding her hand. Born on April 29, 1941, in Chicago, Illinois, to Ben and Dorothy Cooper, Tanis lived a life rich with purpose, creativity, and an unquenchable love for learning. Tanis made her home in Dallas, Texas, where she and her beloved husband Jack put down roots on Lafayette Way — a house she cherished for 55 years, a place that became the heart of her family's story. She devoted more than four decades of her life to public education through Dallas Independent School District. A remarkable intellect from a very young age, she graduated from the University of Texas at just 20 years old and was already teaching Spanish and French classes at Hillcrest High School at 21. She spent a decade in the classroom at Hillcrest before transitioning to her true calling as a guidance counselor — first at North Dallas High School, where she served for 12 years, and then returning to Hillcrest High School in 1988, where she continued guiding students until her retirement in the early 2000s. Throughout her career, she helped hundreds of young people find their path to college, offering direction, encouragement, and an unwavering belief in their potential. She pursued her own education alongside her students — earning her undergraduate degree from the University of Texas, her master's degree from SMU, and her Doctor of Education from the University of North Texas in 1981. In a testament to her mastery of the Spanish language, she wrote her doctoral thesis in both Spanish and English — a remarkable achievement that spoke to the depth of her linguistic gifts. Faith and community were central to Tanis's life. She became a member of the First Unitarian Church of Dallas in 1975 and remained a devoted and active presence there for over five decades. She served in the 70’s as a Sunday School teacher, and taught Living by Heart classes, sang as a member of the choir, and threw herself wholeheartedly into countless other church activities. The community she found and nurtured there was a deep source of meaning and connection throughout her life. But Tanis was never content to stop learning. She approached every day with the same spirit of discovery she brought to the counseling office and the classroom. She was a gifted watercolor artist whose paintings reflected a quiet beauty, a high-level bridge player, a ballroom dancer who loved every moment on the floor, a seamstress, needle pointer, and quilter. She was an avid birder, a devoted reader, and a world traveler who pursued history and new places and experiences with genuine wonder and enthusiasm. Tanis was preceded in death by her beloved husband Jack, her parents Ben and Dorothy Cooper, and her brother and sister-in-law Robert and Carolyn. She is survived by her daughters Kira and Krenna; her sons-in-law Robert and Michael; her grandchildren Kayleigh, Dylan, Meghan, and Jack; and her great-granddaughter Sophie, all of whom will carry on the legacy of a family she loved with her whole heart. Above all, Tanis was a devoted mother and grandmother whose love was the steady foundation beneath everything her family built. Her impact on those around her was immense and lasting — she was a giving tree in the truest sense, generously funding her daughters' early travels, education and experiences, and devotedly supporting her grandchildren's education — sharing with all of them the very things she valued most in life. To know Tanis was to be inspired. Her zest for life was contagious — the places she had been, the things she could do, the depth of knowledge she carried and so generously shared — she left everyone who met her richer for the encounter. She was a wealth of knowledge, a force of nature, and a light that will not dim in the hearts of all who loved her. Tanis Weiss leaves behind a world more educated, more beautiful, and more curious for having been in it — and a family who was her greatest joy and the truest recipients of everything she had to give. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, October 24, 2026, at 3:00 PM at the First Unitarian Church of Dallas, University Park, Texas. All are welcome to come celebrate a life beautifully lived. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the First Unitarian Church of Dallas in Tanis's memory.