Obituary for Lionell Filiss
Lionell was born in Monticello, New York in 1944 to George Filiss and Katherine Poriotis Filiss. His parents were both Greek immigrants to America.
After graduating high school in New York Lionell spent time at the State University of New York in Buffalo studying art. His next adventure after college was joining the Merchant Marines and sailing the Great Lakes and as far South as the Bahamas.
After leaving the Merchant Marines, Lionell matriculated to Haight/Ashbury in San Francisco, California becoming a pioneer of the hippie movement. In San Francisco Lionell knew and spent time with people like Janice Joplin and Jerry Garcia. While there Lionell heard about and was attracted to the Commune Scene in New Mexico. It was in Taos, New Mexico at the New Buffalo Commune that Lionell began the great work of his life. He met His wife Mary and her 3 children Chris, Alex and Ian. This meeting began the true adventure and significance of Lionell’s life.
Lionell moved with his new family to Aspen, Colorado where his son George was born in an old miner’s cabin high in the Rocky Mountains outside of Aspen. Lionell and his family lived in this isolated cabin for two years, eating elk and melting snow for water and homeschooling the kids.
From Aspen Lionell moved his family back to New York where he worked in carpentry for a couple of years to raise the funds to move the family to Mexico and then to South America to follow his dream of living a simple life with the Indians of Otavalo, Ecuador. This journey to South America was made in a 1947 Dodge truck that Lionell rebuilt and put a homemade wooden camper on. It was in South America that his next son William Sibundoy was born. Living forever with Indians in the Andes Mountains was not to be, however. The young family of 6 now found themselves back in America where they settled in the Appalachian Mountains of North Carolina. Madison county became Lionell’s forever home. His sons Zeke, Gus, and Jasper were born here starting in 1974, ‘76, and ‘78 at home on Roaring Fork and Long Branch. These native-born Madison boys Zeke, Gus and Jasper became the workforce of Lionell’s Foster Creek Gorilla Farm, growing tobacco, corn, vegetables, and other things. During these years Lionell and Mary attended Laurelton Chapel Church and sang in churches throughout Madison County and beyond.
With Lionell’s family seemingly completed with his wife Mary, 7 sons and a newly bought farm, life was finally settling down. Again, though, his life was to be rocked by unforeseen circumstances. In 1983 Lionell’s princess and the second love of his life, Jemima Frances Katherine, was born. Jemima became a lifelong companion, confidant, and protector.
As the older boys drifted away, Lionell’s next phase of caretaking the farm and caring for his aging mother, Yaya began. He tirelessly attended to Yaya’s every need and was her assistant, chauffeur, and companion for 15 years. He was truly a dedicated son.
Lionell was supportive of his entire family and would give the shirt off his back or even forgo his own dreams for the wellbeing of the family.
He had an openness and a warmth that knew no boundaries. This openness extended to all ends of society.
He was a lover of music and a self-taught musician of extraordinary talent. Playing any stringed or keyboard instrument and writing countless songs in any genre.
He was an artist in stained glass, painting, sketching, stone masonry, and crafts with a lifelong affinity for aesthetics in any form.
He was a true lover of humor in all its forms.
He was a skilled carpenter, mechanic, and farmer.
He was an avid reader on religion,philosophy, the arts and serious fiction. He was a deep thinker and fascinating conversationalist.
Lionell was an icon and a renaissance man.
Lionell spent the last 5 years of his life in his own hermitage on Foster Creek. In some sense fulfilling his dream of Christianity, Sufism, monk-hood, Buddhism, and a hermit lifestyle.
Lionell was preceded in death by his brother George in 1968, His son Willy in 1973, His father, George, in 1977, his mother, Katheine (YaYa) in 2001, and his son Ian in 2012.
He is survived by his wife Mary, His brother Dean (Tish), His stepson Chris (Margie), his sons Alex (Traci), George (Bianca), Zeke (Courtney), Gus, Jasper (Lisa) and daughter Jemima (Matt).
He has 13 grandchildren: Bradley (Kate), Jenna (Shawn), Ava, Kate, Lucas, Leah, Trevor, Abigail, Beau, Kol, Mak, Nico, and Tempe.
He has one great granddaughter to Jenna and Shawn: Summer.
Lionell will be deeply missed.
A graveside service will be held at 3:00pm, Saturday, June 18, 2022, at Laurelton Chapel Church Cemetery.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.blueridgefuneralservice.org
After graduating high school in New York Lionell spent time at the State University of New York in Buffalo studying art. His next adventure after college was joining the Merchant Marines and sailing the Great Lakes and as far South as the Bahamas.
After leaving the Merchant Marines, Lionell matriculated to Haight/Ashbury in San Francisco, California becoming a pioneer of the hippie movement. In San Francisco Lionell knew and spent time with people like Janice Joplin and Jerry Garcia. While there Lionell heard about and was attracted to the Commune Scene in New Mexico. It was in Taos, New Mexico at the New Buffalo Commune that Lionell began the great work of his life. He met His wife Mary and her 3 children Chris, Alex and Ian. This meeting began the true adventure and significance of Lionell’s life.
Lionell moved with his new family to Aspen, Colorado where his son George was born in an old miner’s cabin high in the Rocky Mountains outside of Aspen. Lionell and his family lived in this isolated cabin for two years, eating elk and melting snow for water and homeschooling the kids.
From Aspen Lionell moved his family back to New York where he worked in carpentry for a couple of years to raise the funds to move the family to Mexico and then to South America to follow his dream of living a simple life with the Indians of Otavalo, Ecuador. This journey to South America was made in a 1947 Dodge truck that Lionell rebuilt and put a homemade wooden camper on. It was in South America that his next son William Sibundoy was born. Living forever with Indians in the Andes Mountains was not to be, however. The young family of 6 now found themselves back in America where they settled in the Appalachian Mountains of North Carolina. Madison county became Lionell’s forever home. His sons Zeke, Gus, and Jasper were born here starting in 1974, ‘76, and ‘78 at home on Roaring Fork and Long Branch. These native-born Madison boys Zeke, Gus and Jasper became the workforce of Lionell’s Foster Creek Gorilla Farm, growing tobacco, corn, vegetables, and other things. During these years Lionell and Mary attended Laurelton Chapel Church and sang in churches throughout Madison County and beyond.
With Lionell’s family seemingly completed with his wife Mary, 7 sons and a newly bought farm, life was finally settling down. Again, though, his life was to be rocked by unforeseen circumstances. In 1983 Lionell’s princess and the second love of his life, Jemima Frances Katherine, was born. Jemima became a lifelong companion, confidant, and protector.
As the older boys drifted away, Lionell’s next phase of caretaking the farm and caring for his aging mother, Yaya began. He tirelessly attended to Yaya’s every need and was her assistant, chauffeur, and companion for 15 years. He was truly a dedicated son.
Lionell was supportive of his entire family and would give the shirt off his back or even forgo his own dreams for the wellbeing of the family.
He had an openness and a warmth that knew no boundaries. This openness extended to all ends of society.
He was a lover of music and a self-taught musician of extraordinary talent. Playing any stringed or keyboard instrument and writing countless songs in any genre.
He was an artist in stained glass, painting, sketching, stone masonry, and crafts with a lifelong affinity for aesthetics in any form.
He was a true lover of humor in all its forms.
He was a skilled carpenter, mechanic, and farmer.
He was an avid reader on religion,philosophy, the arts and serious fiction. He was a deep thinker and fascinating conversationalist.
Lionell was an icon and a renaissance man.
Lionell spent the last 5 years of his life in his own hermitage on Foster Creek. In some sense fulfilling his dream of Christianity, Sufism, monk-hood, Buddhism, and a hermit lifestyle.
Lionell was preceded in death by his brother George in 1968, His son Willy in 1973, His father, George, in 1977, his mother, Katheine (YaYa) in 2001, and his son Ian in 2012.
He is survived by his wife Mary, His brother Dean (Tish), His stepson Chris (Margie), his sons Alex (Traci), George (Bianca), Zeke (Courtney), Gus, Jasper (Lisa) and daughter Jemima (Matt).
He has 13 grandchildren: Bradley (Kate), Jenna (Shawn), Ava, Kate, Lucas, Leah, Trevor, Abigail, Beau, Kol, Mak, Nico, and Tempe.
He has one great granddaughter to Jenna and Shawn: Summer.
Lionell will be deeply missed.
A graveside service will be held at 3:00pm, Saturday, June 18, 2022, at Laurelton Chapel Church Cemetery.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.blueridgefuneralservice.org