What to say? How do you say good bye.

I really don’t think you do. She is here with me all the time. I see her in each of my children, when I am with our family, in the mirror and in my head all the time.

Lisa Jean Goodness

Born 8/11/1961

4’9 and 3/4” tall and full of spice

What’s that saying? Good things come in small packages?

Husband - Ron

Daughter- me

Tutu to Makala, Maya, Jax and

Hayden, Brodie, Marley, Macai, Maverick

From her daughter and the stories I have been told.

Lisa was the 3rd youngest of 7 children born to Juliette and Kaipo Goodness. She was very close to her daddy, Kaipo, who passed in 1989. She used to tell me that her daddy was hoping for another son when grandma was pregnant with her. That was why she liked hanging out with her daddy and said if she didn’t have me, she once thought she would like being a long distance truck driver.

Lisa went to La Quinta H.S. In Westminster, Ca where she was a wrestlerette, which had to be explained to me, because what school has cheerleaders for the wrestling team? Well hers did and she was captain of the squad. She was beautiful, smart and sassy. I imagine she would have been a good cheerleader because she was always genuine in her excitement for another’s achievements.

Lisa had tons of cousins!!! Too many to count and loved them all. She was particularly close to her cousin Annie Girl. She told me they used to get into trouble together and fessed up that it was probably because of her. That was one of the last things she told me actually, made me laugh because I can totally see that.

Lisa had one daughter- Me. She enjoyed telling me of all the pain and stress I caused her when she had me. She went back and forth between telling me if she was going to have a baby, she would do it right the first time and that was why I was an only child to how she originally wanted a boys basketball team but because of how painful child labor was…. Well that’s why there is only me.

Lisa attracted all kinds of people to her. She had what I thought were such random friends, of all ages, all backgrounds and all fiercely loyal to her. I think it was because she really just wanted people to be happy being their true selves and was so loyal. But man could she also hold a grudge. Definitely a forgive but never forget person.

Lisa drew people. That’s really the only way I can describe it. Kids and babies loved her…. Every single one, I watched fall in love with her, especially mine. But not just mine, she had a special relationship with all of her nieces and nephews that was really specific to each one. She had nicknames and special stories for each one. While she loved them all, she did have a special relationship with her boy Noah. I can hear her in my head telling me to watch out for my boy, who is taking care of my boy? Even I knew my job was to keep him safe lol.

Then she had her grand babies - Kala Jean, Maya, and Jax. She was the best Tutu, ready to love and protect and cheer them on in all of their achievements. She would do the fist pump and “Yes, that’s my ….” I once had to keep her from interfering in Makala’s sparring match because she didn’t like how hard she was getting kicked. She always told people not to underestimate her grand babies.

Lisa was no stranger to hardship and loss and struggled with that for many years. But when she made a final decision, that was it. I am so grateful, specifically for these last 20 plus years to have had her so involved in my life and that of my families.

Lisa loved to play BINGO, gamble in Vegas and on poker nights with the family. She loved her family and the friends who became family.

The last few years were hard on her. She was pretty fiercely independent and more of the care giver than receiver. But she stayed feisty as much as she could. Her mind stayed strong even as her body couldn’t any more.

She is missed every day and even though she is not here, here, she is. She is everywhere and watching over us, probably laughing and joking with my grandpa, grandma and aunties and so many other special people we have had to lay to rest.

Maui was always the plan. Mom has told me for many years that she wanted to be laid to rest on the family land, in the Goodness family cemetery. Next to her daddy.

She really didn’t want a service or a lot of stress or ceremony. I think she knew that we would be struggling, that I would be struggling right now to say good bye.

Thank you for coming today to be here to lay my mom to rest. 

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