Little Lisa

1985

"Oh, little Lisa. We always wondered what happened to you!"

In 1985, at the urging of her husband, Phil, to find out medical history six months into her pregnancy, Lisa placed a cold call wondering if this could be her birth father's family. Indeed it was—well, almost.  

Aunt "Tricia" answered the call. Carefully choosing her words, Lisa asked for "Robert" to see if he was the brother of her "father" shown on her birth hospital records.  Lisa asked if she knew "Tom" and "Sarah"  [names changed]. Tricia confirmed that "Tom" was her brother-in-law and excitedly stated, ""Oh, little Lisa. We always wondered what happened to you!" With happy tears, Lisa realized that someone knew her as a baby and might know her story. 

A revelation was revealed during that call. Lisa learned that the man who was "her mother's husband at the time of her birth" was most likely not her biological father, but Tricia believed she knew who he was. She did. And he was. And that, is its own long story.

Lisa was the fourth child born to then 19-year-old, Sarah. Yes, Sarah started young. At some point, when Lisa was under two, Sarah, went to the corner store and NEVER RETURNED. According to Uncle "Steve" who came over for a scheduled visit, Sarah was nowhere in sight. He heard splashing in the bathroom and went to check. He found the two youngest in the tub and little Lisa under the water. His timing was impeccable! He pulled little Lisa by her hair out from under the water. And so the story begins.

Tom knowing that he could not take care of these four little ones put them into foster care and signed away his rights. Lisa was placed with a foster family on the first day. 

Twenty-five years later, when Lisa met the oldest child from her birth family, he told her that his  6-year-old self was not allowed to say goodbye to her. He could only watch out the window. "They took you away in a Volkswagon bug and I stood there waving and crying." It was a lasting impression on the little boy. 

The vivid memory of seeing her new mom for the first time lasted for many years. When the social worker held Lisa's hand and began to walk up the sidewalk to the front door she bent over and said, "there's your new mom." Lisa's mom, Shirlee, was standing on the porch smiling. 

Lisa's sister-in-law was dating her oldest brother at that time and remembers little Lisa  always crying for her "dolly."  Lisa discovered 25 years later that her dolly was actually her 11-month older sister named Dolly.

At the age of seven, Lisa was going to be adopted by another family. Lisa's mom said, "If she goes, I go." At that time, Joe and Shirlee began their own adoption paperwork. 

Lisa remembers being in a court room for the adoption. The judge took her into his office to ask her questions about life with her prospective adopted family. He asked her specifically if she wanted them to be her legal family. 

She did. And they were. 

Lisa found all of the members of her biological family and has relationships with them.

Another long story.

There is so much more to this story, but we'll stop here. 

These experiences have shaped Lisa's life. She treasures her family and loves serving others. And she admits that she has never been in court as the subject of a hearing again. 

Lisa loved her childhood growing up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She had three brothers and one sister. Lisa was the youngest. 

Lisa twirled baton throughout her youth marching in parades across greater Milwaukee and competing in group and solo competitions across the midwest picking up several awards including the MVP award in her Baton Corp title, "The Challengers."

When not using the city buses, Lisa rode her bike everywhere including to her jobs. She began working at age 14 as a dishwasher for a small Friday night fish fry restaurant. She moved on to be a cashier at a small local grocery store. Then, it was McDonald's, a clothing store, and in the basement of the tallest building in Milwaukee at First Wisconsin National Bank.  She spent her last year in Milwaukee at the bank and as a part-time window model at Mullenbach's Gowns in their downtown store on Wisconsin Avenue and at their local fashion shows.

Two years after her high school graduation, Lisa moved to Provo, Utah to live "where the panning mountain shot was from the end of the Donny & Marie show."  She came with her $600 savings in her pocket. She didn't know anyone, but made Provo her home. 

Lisa attended Utah Tech, Utah Valley Community College, Utah Valley State College, and Utah Valley University. Yes, all the same school. You can read about her degrees on the education page. 

Lisa met Phil a year after she moved to Provo at a dance on top of Bridal Veil Falls. She was serving the free soda.  He had just returned from serving in London on an LDS mission for 18 months. That's a cute story for another day.

Phil and Lisa married on April 20, 1984 (yes, the convention day was their 40th wedding anniversary). They have made their home in the west Provo section of House District 61 for the last 37 years, where they raised their six children. Their children attended Westridge Elementary, Dixon Middle School, and Provo High School. Their youngest also attended Lakeview Elementary. 

Lisa was very involved in their children's lives, active in their schools, and engaged in their education. You can see her community service on the community service page. 

Phil and Lisa have six adult children, three sons-in-law, and five grandchildren they adore. They finally got a daughter-in-law on Leap Day 2024. They look forward to getting two more daughters-in-law and many more grandchildren.  (No pressure, right!?!?)

Phil is a gaffer in the film industry lighting industrial and retail commercials. Heand  has a film studio in Orem. Lisa has been the Senior Policy Advisor to Utah County Commissioner Tom Sakievich for the last three years and plans to serve the remainder of his term ending at the end of 2024.