S. Travis Silcox

1956 - 2023

S Travis Silcox
April 8, 1956 - January 06, 2023
Sacramento, California - Travis Silcox, born April 8, 1956, passed away on January 6, 2023, following a short hospitalization. She was surrounded by family and friends at the time of her passing.
She is survived by her husband (Preston Rudy); her parents (Betty and John Travis, Sacramento); sister-in-law (Stefania Bacci) and nephew (Timothy Travis) who live in Italy, Impala, her mustang, and Schnapps, a miniature Schnauzer. She also leaves behind many friends, fellow activists, horseback riders, and students whose lives she touched.
Travis was born in Lafayette, Indiana, but the family moved to California soon after. She received her bachelor's degree in sociology at Pitzer College. Later she attended Syracuse University for graduate studies, earning a creative writing MFA from UC Irvine, followed by a Ph.D. in literature from UC Santa Cruz. Travis, a lifelong learner, also studied French, Spanish, and film. She made several study trips to Cuba, as well as yearly visits to Italy.
Travis taught at Modesto Junior College and Sacramento City College for 28 years until her retirement in 2019. She found great reward in teaching first-generation college students, honing their English writing skills for their future success. During her brief hospital stay, one of her nurses, a former student, said, "Dr. Silcox, you have no idea how many lives you touched and what a difference you made to your students."
An early activist and defender of justice, Travis staged her first one-woman protest at her high school graduation. She met her husband through their involvement in the Anti-Apartheid movement while studying at Syracuse in 1983. After moving to Sacramento, they continued their activism. Travis joined neighbors in a group "Trees not Trash" and then formed the New Era Park neighborhood. They successfully fought to create Sutter's Landing Regional Park instead of a trash transfer station at 28th and B Street. She advocated for clean air measures; traffic calming through midtown Sacramento; preserving the character of city neighborhoods; and joined the editorial board of "Because People Matter." Most recently, she worked with the District 4 Homelessness Task Force.
In addition to her work and political activism, Travis had a passion for horses and riding, and spent every day up until her hospitalization with her horse, Impala. She and her husband explored the Sierra Nevada on horseback, with Travis joining the Horse Patrol in the Folsom Lake region. She developed close bonds with fellow riders.
Travis is remembered for her kindness, her passion for justice, intelligence, her dedication to her family, and the impact she had on the world around her.
A memorial service will be held at 10am on February 11 at the Unitarian Universalist church.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Travis' name to the Eastern Sierra Land Trust (www.eslt.org/donate/) and/or to the Mono Lake Committee (www.monolake.org)