Elizabeth Lane Rollins Longino Waas

In Loving Memory of Our Mother — Elizabeth Lane Rollins Longino Waas (1936–2026)

 Our mother, Elizabeth Lane Rollins Longino Waas, lived a life filled with love, generosity, curiosity, and purpose. At one point in her life, she changed her name so she could carry each of her three daughters within it — Elizabeth, Lane, and Rollins. That gesture captures who she was at her core: deeply loving, thoughtful, and intentional in everything she did.

To us, she was Mom. To others, she was a wife, grandmother, great-grandmother, teacher, counselor, writer, mentor, and friend. She loved people fully and poured herself into every relationship she made.

We — her children, Sue Lane Fristoe Hilburn (David), Elizabeth (Lisa) Ellen Fristoe McCullough, Ann Rollins Fristoe Stewart (Bill), and Kenneth (Skip) Marston Fristoe, Jr. (Susie) — are deeply grateful for the years of love and laughter we shared with her. She also leaves behind her beloved grandchildren: Wilder McCullough, Katharine Hilburn, Caroline Hilburn DeSantis (Sean), Caly Stewart, Fairleigh Stewart, and C.L. Fristoe; her great-grandchildren Nora DeSantis and Henry DeSantis; and her treasured stepfamily Joe and Lisa Waas, Morgan Waas, and William Waas.

Born in Dalton, Georgia — where her grandfather, Dr. John Calvin Rollins, planned to deliver her — Lane was the daughter of George Franklin Longino, Jr. and Sue Rollins Longino, and sister to George F. Longino III (Lisa) of Dallas, TX, and John Thomas Longino (Donna) of Waleska, GA.

Lane’s life took her many places — College Park, GA; Columbia, SC; Amelia Island, FL; Glenville, NC; Brevard, NC; Asheville, NC; Second Mesa, AZ; the Valley of the Gods, UT; and even New York City and Ramapo College, NJ through her work with The Foundation for Mind Research. In each place, Mom had a beautiful gift of making whomever she was with feel like he/she was her favorite person in the world. She built lasting friendships that shaped her and us.

An artist, teacher, and lifelong learner, Lane taught art for 15 years at Woodward Academy in College Park, GA, where she became Director of the Visual Arts Department. After retiring from teaching, she returned to school to earn her Ph.D., married Bill, and together they built their home in Glenville, NC, where she began a counseling practice she loved for nearly a decade.

She was also active in her churches over the years, serving faithfully on the Vestries of both St. Luke’s Episcopal Church (Atlanta, GA) and the Church of the Good Shepherd (Cashiers, NC).

Mom was endlessly curious — a seeker of meaning, of truth, and of connection. Organizing and leading groups was one of her greatest joys. She co-founded and guided many: Summit Charter School (Cashiers, NC), the Hunger Task Force (Woodward Academy), Earth Stewards (Cashiers, NC), Writers Read (Deerfield, Asheville, NC), and countless study and discussion groups exploring spirituality, women’s issues, and the power of imagination. She often said, “If I can’t find the group I’m looking for, I create the group myself, and you can do it too.” To quote a friend of hers, “She’s a dynamo”, always inspiring, always encouraging. We were so lucky and blessed that she was our mom!

Her love of learning never faded. She proudly earned her third degree at age 50, and her dissertation became her book, Imagine That, published in 1990 (and again in later editions, including Indonesian). She found peace in painting, swimming, writing, and being surrounded by those she loved most. She especially enjoyed visiting artists’ studios and galleries and collecting art, which often spilled out the front door of her homes.

Lane was also deeply inspired by nature — from the deserts of the Southwest to the lush mountains of North Carolina. She often spoke of her transformative hike at Horseshoe Canyon, Utah, where she stood before the ancient “Holy Ghost Panel.” The desert’s openness, like her spirit, was vast and full of wonder.

Since 2002, Lane made her home at Deerfield Episcopal Retirement Community in Asheville — a place she regularly assessed as “definitely the right decision.” She cherished her community and the many friendships developed there.

In lieu of flowers, donations to the Deerfield Residency Fund, The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (honoring her granddaughter Caroline), Shepherd Spinal Center in Atlanta (honoring her daughter Lisa), or Manna Food Bank in Asheville, where she and Bill volunteered together would be appreciated.

Our mother taught us to stay curious, to see beauty in all things, and to meet the world with an open heart. Her love will continue to guide us always.

A Memorial Service celebrating Lane’s life will be held at St. Giles Chapel on the Deerfield Campus on May 2, 2026, at 11:00AM.

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