Shana Louise Pies passed away on Saturday, February 11, 2023, at the age of 45. She was predeceased by her mother, Diane (Stucke) Pies. She is survived by her husband, Nicholas Hammond; her father, David Pies; her sister, Sara (Jesse) Gotham; her niece, Gemma Gotham, and many aunts, uncles, cousins and beloved friends.

Shana was a beloved teacher, having earned her M.A.T. degree from the Warner School of Education at the University of Rochester. She taught high school ELA at both Greece Athena and East High School and for a time worked for the Massachusetts Department of Education as well as Wayne – Finger Lakes BOCES collecting student outcome data and helping teachers and administrators understand the efficacy of their work with students. Over the nearly two decades of work in K-12 educational initiatives, she touched the lives of more students than we could ever know. The outpouring of love and support Shana felt from her students and colleagues in recent years was a source of immense joy and pride for her, and she often recalled favorite moments with her ‘kids’ and how special each and every one of them is. In 2017, Shana went back to Warner and successfully earned her Educational Leadership certification in order to be a school administrator.

Shana was an avid dog-mom, having taken in Luke, Lucia, Leena, Lylah, and Petee over the years (and her tuxedo cat, Mittens). Her passion for caring for her animals knew no bounds, and every critter that came into her home had the best life they could know. The silly songs that were made up, the loving full names she created for each of them, and the countless hours spent on walks with them were all gifts she gave out of the love she held for her fur-babies.

A Memorial and Graveside Services will be held on THURSDAY February 16th, 2023 at 11AM at White Haven Memorial Park (210 Marsh Road, Rochester, NY). CLICK HERE for a map to the cemetery.  You can view a recording of the service below.

Friends and family are asked to gather at the All Seasons Chapel and wear gray (for Brain Cancer Awareness) and/or purple (Shana’s favorite color). The family also asks that you please wear appropriate shoes for the weather, as the grounds in the green burial section are not kept in the same way as the rest of the park.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the following organizations in Shana’s memory:

• Wilmot Cancer Institute at URMC. CLICK HERE to donate online. 

• K9 Orphans Inc. CLICK HERE to donate online. 

• Lollypop Farm Humane Society of Greater Rochester. CLICK HERE to donate online. 

• UR Medicine Hospice Care. CLICK HERE to donate online.