Joined 1983. Passed 2023.
Lisa was a beautiful, spirited and highly accomplished woman who meant so much to those of us who were on the team during the early years when we were a tiny band of sisters. Her natural leadership abilities got us organized to do weekly training runs with Jeanne Lavin, who was our first Olympic Trials marathon qualifier in 1984. We did 15-18 mile runs after work, meeting at the Ferry Building and running to the ocean and back. She gave us assignments to prepare for a different topic to discuss each week, like book and movie reviews, and sometimes more intimate topics of interest. We also made up promotional phrases and names for Shaklee health and athletic products where Lisa worked.
When we learned of her Alzheimer's diagnosis, and that she was in a nursing home in Portland, we sent her an Impala jacket, along with a letter and photos from her early days on the team. We also had a couple of Facetime calls, and we were able to rekindle memories of her years on the team, telling her about some of her accomplishments and laughing at our escapades. After we hung up, her husband said that she dashed out into the hallway in her jacket and hugged and kissed everybody she saw, proudly telling them, "I used to be a really fast runner on a team!"
She was a passionate runner with several marathons to her credit and countless other 10k and half-marathon events. She also did the Bay to Breakers race lying on a gurney, 8 months pregnant, pushed by several runners dressed as doctors. She was caught on camera and interviewed by a local TV station and was the talk of the town.
Lisa was known for her enduring way of making people feel like their jokes were the funniest and their stories were the most interesting. She was always inclusive, making sure everyone felt seen and acknowledged. She was a woman who embodied everything that we know to be good about our Impala teammates and her legacy will not be forgotten.