Elizabeth "Cissy" Wilhelmy Urrutia*

One only had to have occasional contact with Cissy to carry her in one's heart. (I live in California and rarely saw her over the last 50 years.) When talking to her I always felt I was the most important person in her life at that moment.  She was able to make me feel that she had understood and completely identified with whatever issue we were talking about. I have aspired to do the same with people,  but she was gifted!!!  I guess it was so much suffering and having such a big heart.  I miss her!!

Charles, thanks for sharing about her brother, Bruce  I remember how proud she was of her brothers. We watched 13 Days last night, and I started to cry when I saw him take off in that airplane.  Great movie for reminding us of the extraordinary service of our military and even the politicians who are making life and death decisions all the time to try to keep us safe.  Thank you, Cissy, for what you gave us all--all the extraordinary qualities everyone has shared about you which you shared with us.

Just LOOK at that SMILE!!!! The hairstyle has changed but the smile is the same one she had at 16!!!! I REALLY missed something by not knowing her well!!!

CHARLES!!! THANK YOU so much for relating this story to us!! History has touched us all to some extent. We must NEVER forget our service people! What they did and continue to do is nothing short of heroic!!!! Even sitting at a desk is heroic! EVERYTHING that keeps this country free IS HEROIC!! Just looking at Cissy's face you would think she "had it made!"' Fact is, no one does!!! As Henri Nouwen said we are all "walking wounded."   I'm glad Cindy was able to keep smiling. Her light means even MORE knowing these things about her. She did NOT let her sorrows in life become "wasted tragedies." There is an enormous lesson there!!! I don't think her light will EVER go out...

Cissy was a gentle, creative, funny and beautiful woman, inside and out. I saw her for the last time two weeks ago and I had one more chance to experience that Irish humor and zest for life. I will miss one of my lifelong dearest friends.

i thank you all, as well, for writing more about Cissy! The sweetness I saw in school was there her whole life! What a joy to know!!

I took a moment to read through the names of all who have embarked on their continuing adventure. Oh we have lost some very precious people from this realm! We knew each other at 17; now we're 70!!! Some days dragged on; but the years flew by...

Oh, I hate for Cissy to pass away!  What a wonderful girl and friend she was. 

Artistic, fun with a great sense of humor, pretty, a fine artist, a great conversationalist, an iconoclast, intelligent, lively and thoughtful, Cissy was a great person.  She loved her friends, and was a friend to many.  In times of trouble, Cissy was a steady shoulder to lean on and was always willing to listen.  I will miss her so much. 

I join each of you in the admiring comments you have for Cissy. 

For our AHHS friends who did not know Cissy well, I would like to talk about Cissy’s life.  Cissy's early life was blessed.  Her Mother and Father, Chris and Lib Wilhelmy, adored her, their youngest child.  Her two big brothers, Bruce and John, always loved her and gave her her nickname, "Cissy".  Cissy had horses, which she loved, ponies and rabbits.  She had a playhouse where all of us kids would play.  Their family traveled widely, and Cissy got to see a lot of the world.  Cissy’s first marriage produced two fine girls, Liza and Katie, of whom Cissy was very proud.  (Liza now lives in Colorado, and Katie in San Antonio.)  Then, Cissy met the love of her life, Dr. Bud Urrutia.  Cissy and Bud had a close, happy marriage for 33 years.  Cissy and Bud were devoted to each other.  As one would expect, Bud is now bereft.

Probably the greatest hardship in Cissy's life was the fact that she had diabetes from the age of 3.  Cissy faced this disadvantage as if it were nothing.  She rarely talked about it.  Probably the diabetes was the underlying condition that compromised her ability to fight the blood cancer, Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia , a type of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, that befell her.  Faced with any physical illness, however, Cissy was a fighter. 

Cissy had so many friends in our high school class.  Cissy loved her friends, and stayed in touch with them as long as she could. 

Bud recently said of Cissy, "Behind that little spitfire girl, there was a really kind person."  And, that is the truth. 

Even though I and many are sad, Cissy would not want us to be sad, but rather she would want us to celebrate her life.

With deepest sympathy,

Nancy Norman

I am so sad to hear about Cissy.  She was one of my first friends when I was a child.   So sweet and kind and refined.  I knew she had been ill for a long while.  Now she has slipped the bonds of that body that didn't serve her anymore.  May she rest in peace.  

Cissy was such a sweet lady.  We'll miss you.  Hugs to your family.

One of the loveliest young women I ever knew!! Although we didn't keep in touch I remember your sweet smiles and soft voice so well!!! I can't imagine how much you will be missed. Please check on my pups and paint forever YOUR WAY!!  Blessings and peace to your family...??

We will miss dear Cissy so much. She was everything a woman should be- beautiful, intelligent, talented, sassy, and brave. We send all our love to her family. Josie ( friend for 66 years).