San Francisco teacher turns 100, celebrated by students she inspired over the decades

July 8, 2024

OAKLAND — On Sunday afternoon in Oakland, a retired teacher’s 100th birthday celebration turned into an emotional class reunion. Students from nearly four decades gathered to pay tribute to their beloved mentor, known simply as Flossie.

As she headed to her birthday party, Florence Lewis thought about the students who would see her.

“They come at 70 because they remember that something I said made such a difference in their lives,” she said. “And those memories brought them back here. It’s not that I expected it. I never could have dreamed of anything like this.”

Florence Lewis was greeted by one of her former students on Sunday/KPIX