Elisabeth Anne Knauth, born Oct. 22, 1961, in Manhattan.
Elisabeth Anne Knauth, known to friends and family as Lissie, daughter of Percival and Behri Knauth, grew up in New York City, Paris, and Stonington. She attended the Stonington Borough School, Rumsey Hall and Stonington High School, graduating in 1979.
She worked at Mystic Seaport and many area restaurants, making the truest friends who would remain with her for life. Lissie was active in field hockey, rowing and sailing, the latter reaching from New England to the Caribbean.
Following her marriage, as a single mother Lissie simultaneously raised her daughter, cared for her parents for two decades, worked full time in restaurants, and attended Connecticut College, where she was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa, the nation's oldest academic honor society. She graduated in 1994 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Botany, cum laude with Distinction in the Major, after which after which she was immediately hired as a Cancer Research Biologist at Pfizer. She worked at Pfizer for her entire professional career. She has co-author credit on at least six peer-reviewed scientific papers in journals of the American Association for Cancer Research and Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry Letters.
After an eight month battle with cancer fought to the end with optimism, humor, complete knowledge and bravery, Lissie passed away at her home on March 1, 2009, surrounded by loving friends and family.
Lissie is survived by her daughter, Mary Elisabeth Knauth Visser; six brothers, Timothy Pratt Knauth of Mystic, Geoffrey Stanton Knauth of Williamsport, Pa., Peter Gries Knauth of Smithfield, Va., Philip Whitman Knauth of Hong Kong, China, Alan Rietmann Knauth of Münster, Germany, Stephen Alexander Knauth of Ivoryton, Conn.; as well as many loving aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins and lifelong friends.
Her love, compassion, courage, and spirit will live through all that knew Lissie and all whom have had the fortune of meeting her.
There will be a memorial service at The Dinoto Funeral Home, 17 Pearl Street, Historic downtown Mystic on Friday March 6, 2009, at 12:00 NOON.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Lissie's honor to the following foundations, The New London Cancer Center, 196 Parkway S #303, Waterford, CT 06385; or Hospice of South Eastern CT., 227 Dunham St., Norwich, CT 06360, hosopicesect.org
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