It is with deep sadness that we share the passing of our dear friend and colleague, Lois Salisbury, on July 9.

For many years, Lois served as co-chair of the Tennis Coalition of San Francisco, where her vision helped shape our greatest accomplishment: the renovation of the Golden Gate Park tennis courts, now the Goldman Tennis Center. She had a remarkable ability to bring people together, navigate challenges with grace, and never lose sight of the goal of creating a welcoming public tennis facility for everyone.

Those of us who had the privilege of serving with Lois on the board admired her not only for her remarkable leadership, but for her wisdom, generosity, and steady guidance. She had a gift for listening, building consensus, and reminding us of what mattered most.

“All our years working on the Goldman Tennis Center, she was calm, inclusive, and seeking a way forward when it got hard,” said Peg Stevenson, TCSF Co-Chair. “Her beautiful smile and her joyous optimism carried the day. I’ll admire and think of her always.”

Lois’s impact reached far beyond tennis. Early in her career, she was a civil rights lawyer who worked on the landmark case that opened the San Francisco Police Department to women – a victory that influenced the integration of police departments across the country. She later served as Executive Director of Children Now and as a director at the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, where she championed the health, education, and well-being of children and families.

We are honored to share one of Lois’s favorite photographs of herself, taken during the construction of the Goldman Tennis Center. Thank you, Lois. Your passion for public tennis created a place where our community comes together, and your legacy will live on every time someone steps onto these courts. You will be deeply missed.