BAR MILLS/Buxton- Lisa Anne Ross, age 57, passed away on Oct. 26, 2023.
Lisa Ross was an amazing woman. It’s a simple sentiment and one that is a staple in such obituaries. While I would like to find words that are more unique, I find myself coming back to “amazing”. The definition of which reads: causing great surprise or wonder; astonishing, or startlingly impressive. That is the most apt description I can give. This is a woman who had the deck stacked against her at every turn and not only did she overcome, but she did so with more strength, grace, and fortitude than anyone I’ve ever met.
She gave her life in the service of others. She took care of her elderly mother, even as her mind was taken by Alzheimer's. She took care of her husband who battled alcoholism his whole life. And she did all this while raising me. She put aside her personal wants and needs so everyone around her could try to achieve theirs.
I could always trust and take comfort in the fact that she was in my corner, fighting alongside me and for me at every turn. She was a champion. She was my champion and I will miss her everyday for the rest of my life.
She loved music and was constantly singing along to the radio. Cop procedurals and true crime shows were among her favorite genres to watch and she fancied herself a hippy and loved tie-dye and colorful flowers. She had hot temper and a wonderful smile. Her laugh could light up a room or she could strike fear with a glance. Respect was paramount to her. If you treated her with respect, she would return that ten fold.
She was loved by her coworkers and regulars at Pat’s Pizza in Scarborough, where she worked for 30 years. They were as much her family as any other.
There are simply too many memories to share and I find myself struggling to choose, so I will simply say that whether she was burying her fingernail into the chest of a trucker that dared drive recklessly while her child was in the car, spoiling her many dogs rotten, or lifting my spirits when I was down and broken, she exuded passion, strength, and fearlessness.
Even while battling cancer, she had a fierceness and tenacity that astounds me even now. She was taken from us far too young, at the age of 57. The world has lost a great source of kindness, but the best way we can honor her memory, is to try to carry some of that with us while we continue to move through this life.
So here’s to a powerhouse of woman. A daughter, wife, mother, and moreover, a role model. Here’s to Lisa Ross, born January 15, 1966; passed away on October 26, 2023. She will be forever missed, but it’s my sincerest hope that her legacy will outlive us all. A legacy of love and kindness beyond any I’ve come to know. Love, always.
Arrangements have been entrusted to Chad E. Poitras Cremation and Funeral Service, Buxton, www.mainefuneral.com