Lisa Leslie, daughter of John and Elaine May Leslie passed peacefully at Gosnell Memorial Hospice House, Scarborough, Maine on September 15, 2022.

 

Lisa was a citizen of the world. No one location could hold her long. She began life in Richardson, Texas, leaving at age 19 for the east coast states. During the family travels around the country, she was always drawn to that part of our country.

 

As she lived in England while working on her PHD degree in British Literature, she discovered the Lake District of England and long distance hiking.

 

She and a friend hiked both the British Coast to Coast Path, 191 miles from the Irish Sea to the North Sea. Two years later they did the Upland Southern Way in Scotland, once again from the Irish Sea to the North Sea, 221 miles.

 

During her first bout of cancer in 2010 she set the goal of hiking the 2nd highest mountain in England, accomplished 6 weeks after she was pronounced in remission.

 

Her sister, Laura, died in 2005 and during Lisa's grief she reached for a hand and found the paw of Karma, her constant companion until 2021.

 

They were inseparable as Lisa grieved and as they hiked, walked, sat at coffee shops, visited dog friendly shops, looked at books in small independent bookshops. Karma became a well known figure in the small towns they lived. Badly affected by "chemo fog", Lisa was unable to work for periods of times between cancer bouts. She made the most of wherever she lived.

 

Lisa was working at Virginia Tech when the April 16, 2007 shooting occurred. She offered her experience in grief and her love of the students to the University's task force put together to help wounded students, families of those killed, and the student population in finding a "new normal". Her teaching career ended and at the end of the 2 1/2 years in the Recovery Office, Lisa started her new career as a student advisor.

Her travel experiences took her to many places. Some of these were experiences during conferences to Holland, Russia, Italy, New Mexico; family travels to Scotland, Ireland, Wales during her years studying in England. Backpacking while following the lives of Percy Shelley, his family, and Lord Byron through Italy were a part of her studies. She taught in Greece and England. After Karma joined her, they took road trips to the west coast, Texas, and everywhere within a day's drive from home, wherever home was at the time, for a day of exploring small towns, every independent book store, hike any trail in their path, coming home satisfied and fulfilled with nature.

 

Lisa was finally able to rejoin the work force, moving to Maine in 2019. She also entered into a deep loving relationship with Ralph Schoolcraft, who survives, along with her mother, cousins, and friends in all parts of the world.

 

In 2020 Lisa was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia which was caused by all the chemo she'd had while dealing with ovarian cancer. It marched relentlessly, refusing to be deterred by chemo, bone marrow transplant, more chemo, platelets, and transfusions.

 

She dealt with cancers with dignity, grace, common sense, and always a smile and "thank you" for each person who did any little or big thing for her. Her guy, Ralph, was with her every step of the way. A true measure of devotion and love was demonstrated. Thus, she departed from us and is finally a truly free spirit.