Our good friend, Jeanne McShane did a wonderful eulogy for Lisa, my sister marilyn and our good friend Kelly all did readings at Lisa’s Memorial. Thank you to those that could come it meant a lot to me, our kids and lisa’s family. Below is Jeanne’s eulogy. Peace
It is an honor for me to speak today in celebration of Lisa’s life. Lisa and Janice have been my friends for 13 years, and my family for most of that time. Many of you have seen the foster parent recruiting bumper sticker asking if you have “room for one more?” Room for One More was not a question for Lisa and it wasn’t a slogan. It was a commandment. A commandment that took precedence over the other 10. There is no question that Lisa honored her father and mother. And with Janice in her life, she rarely had the opportunity to covet anything. She kept holy the Sabbath day and inspired others to as well. But Room for One More is a sacred responsibility that Lisa and Janice embraced. Lisa and Janice met and fell in love while they were attending the University of
Puget Sound. After college, they worked together in a group home for developmentally challenged adults. They were united in holy union in October of 1991. They have been partners in all things, caring for one another and their community of family and friends, and countless children ever since. They provided a permanent home for 5 wonderful children: Rose, Michael, Danielle, David and Katelyn- and a temporary shelter in the storm for many foster children. At Lisa and Janice’s house, there is always Room for One More. In fact, Janice told me that a few weeks ago they had called their foster care licensor and asked to have more children placed with them this summer because they had Room for One More. In the last week, I spent some time with Lisa’s family in
Connecticut. Lisa’s mother, Nettie, and her father, Don, showed me pictures of Lisa growing up. All of her family remembered Lisa with that great grin, the smile that encompassed her whole face. Don told me about canoeing and hiking with Lisa. Together they hiked and canoed all around
Cape Cod every summer. Lisa’s sister Sue told me about Lisa’s boundless energy after a day at the beach on the
Cape; she was always planning their next adventure.It is easy for me to see how Lisa developed her kind and loving nature. While I was in
Connecticut, her family made sure that I felt at home, that I was a part of the family. They made Room for One More. Nettie showed me the room that Lisa shared with Sue. At Lisa’s insistence, the walls were painted a bright pink. When Katie arrived at the Langbehn-Pond home, Lisa was overjoyed to have a little girl to dress in pink. Lisa loved pink so much, that when Katie was about two-years-old, she had to tell her, “Mama, No Pink. I like Lellow.” Lisa allowed Katie to bloom in her own colors. However, Lisa was overjoyed when Katie chose to wear pink again. Room for One More means room for each person to grow their own way.Lisa and Janice provided the room for each of their children to blossom. One winter, Lisa took Michael to ski lessons every weekend. Michael became a better skier than Lisa. Sometimes I joined Lisa for a day on the slopes. Once, we were skiing with Michael after his lesson, Lisa –always up for an adventure–let him pick the trails and he took us down some moguls. He sped down them with ease, leaving Lisa and I in the dust trying not to break our necks on the way down the hill. When David arrived, he was a sick little guy. Lisa and Janice were told that he had no interest in doing anything but sitting in his highchair. Lisa and Janice knew kids need stimulation to grow. Within a few minutes, Lisa had David playing on the floor with whatever was handy. Davey quickly thrived, his health improved and he is always the first one to volunteer to go on an adventure with his moms.
Danielle and Lisa found their connection through girl scouts. Lisa was a Girl Scout as a child, and spent her summers as a counselor at a Girl Scout camp. Danielle has fond memories of going camping with Lisa and her troop. Camping in a hotel instead of a tent! Lisa’s brother Michael gave an elegant and warm eulogy for Lisa’s funeral
Mass. He remembers Lisa for all of the candles she lit for others in times of darkness. In her passing, Lisa made room for 7 more by becoming an organ donor. Lisa was a devoted friend to nearly everyone she met. She was the Girl Scout troop leader for both Danielle and Katie. She taught first communion classes at St. Michael’s church. She often volunteered at the kids’ schools. She took great joy in helping others. Most of all she took joy in being with children. Lisa’s good friend Kathy remembers Lisa from David’s first day of school. Kathy’s daughter Stephanie was in the class. All the kids were huddled around Lisa, because Lisa had that energy that draws kids in. But Stephanie was shy and sat off by herself. Lisa saw Stephanie and went over to her, took her by the hand and brought her into the group, so she was sitting closest to Lisa. Lisa was always looking for the child who needed her the most. On that day, Stephanie found that Lisa had room for her and all the other children in the class. When I was younger and single, Lisa and Janice had me over for dinner at least once a week. One time Lisa said to me, “Jeanne- no matter what I serve, you always say it’s your favorite.” I told her that whenever someone else did the cooking, it was my favorite. But what I meant was I never left their table without feeling well fed physically, well fed emotionally, and well fed spiritually… that was my favorite part of every meal I shared with her. Because at Lisa and Janice’s home, there was always room for me. Lisa and Janice were good partners to each other. They rounded each other out. It is difficult for me to imagine one without the other. Their commitment and love to each other is an inspiration. Lisa’s lasting gift to Janice, her children, family and friends is sitting here today. Lisa was a community builder. She built a community of warm wonderful people with all kinds of gifts, talents, and abilities to surround her family. Lisa’s community of friends, girl scouts, neighbors, school teachers, social workers, and family will be with Janice and the children whenever they are needed. Because Lisa always had Room for One More, there are many of us here today to help her family through the years to come. Lisa’s brother Michael prayed that we would one day meet Lisa again in
Paradise. I am sure we will– Lisa must have been God’s retirement gift to Saint Peter. Because in Lisa’s Heaven, there will always be Room for One More. Please join Janice and her family at Horizon
Elementary School after the service to share your memories of Lisa. Janice and her family invite you to join them when Lisa’s ashes are blessed and interred tomorrow afternoon at 12:30 at the Mills and Mills
Memorial Park in Tumwater. Thank you for being here today to celebrate the life of Lisa Langbehn-Pond with Janice, Danielle, David, Katelyn and Rose and her parents Don and Nettie Pond. Peace be with you.
