By JUDY RATTNER
Described as a free spirit who lived life to the fullest on her own terms, Tiss, a 2007 graduate of South Side High School, died when she lost control of her 1997 Acura while driving south on Route 30 in Winhall, Vt., and struck a pickup truck. She was on her way to her job at Stratton Mountain. According to local police, overnight snow and freezing rain contributed to the crash, and Tiss was killed on impact. Police also said that although her front-wheel-drive car had studded front tires, her rear tires were well worn, and that may have contributed to the accident.
She was the sunshine of my life, said Jackie-s father, Joel. Her smile touched my soul. ... I will miss her hugs and expressions of love.
"You have left a giant, empty hole that will never be filled," said her grandfather, Frank Tiss.
"My sister was my best friend," said Jackie-s 16-year-old brother Ryan, "everything I had ... the greatest person I ever knew."
Remembered for her smile, kindness, wisdom and stubbornness, at times unsure and at other times confident, Jackie was known to offer advice to friends and family. "She was a young woman with a deep sense of what life was about," said the Rev. Stephen Brigandi, who led the Mass of Christian Burial, "and she shared that life with friends and family.
"She looked out and saw the world's beauty," Brigandi added, reminding the mourners, many of whom were crying, that "Life is well lived no matter how long. The lives she touched are forever."
"Our hearts go out to the [Tiss] family," said school Superintendent Dr. William Johnson. "I don't know how families get over a tragedy like this. ... You just want to wrap your hands around your own children and say, 'I love you.' We just have to live our lives to the fullest and let our children know how much we love them, because you just never know when they might not be with us."
Jackie was a delightful girl who was full of life and had many good friends, South Side High School Principal Dr. Carol Burris said last Friday. This is a terrible tragedy for her family, and we-ll all miss her very much. It seems like it's almost been one [death] a month. I came in this morning, heard about it and just started crying. Let-s hope this is it.
I think that we should really start to think about having a bereavement group for siblings to help them work through the grief, Burris added. As someone who-s lost a sibling, I understand what a difficult loss that is, especially for young people. They-re trying to comfort their parents, they-re dealing with the loss of someone their own age -- which deeply affects young people -- and then they-re grieving the loss of a brother or sister they loved. It-s so, so, so hard.
Among the many comments from her friends on a growing Facebook wall dedicated to her memory, was Schuyler Forsberg's: "This still isn't real for me. I'm waiting to wake up any minute now. R.I.P. Jackie Tiss. You will forever be in my heart as well as everyone else's. Watch over us."
Tiss is survived by her parents, Kim and Joel Tiss; two brothers, Ryan and Nolan; and her grandparents, Ann and Frank Tiss and Cam Dang. She was the niece of Gerald, Jennifer, Long, Ursula, Thanh, Son and Tho. She was waked over the weekend at Macken Mortuary and interred at St. Charles Cemetery in Farmingdale after Monday's ceremony. The family requested that in lieu of flowers, contributions to the St. Agnes Parish Outreach, 29 Quealy Place, Rockville Centre, N.Y. 11570, would be appreciated.
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