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 ISD. 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.