Obituary of Lissa LaVerne Lee

Lissa LaVerne Lee, age 76, passed away peacefully at her Mesa home in Santa Barbara, surrounded by family on Tuesday, January 15^th, 2019. She was born on November 30^th, 1942 to Phillip and Gladys (Watkins) Chauvin. At a very young age, she and her family set down roots in Santa Barbara, California where she lovingly remained for the rest of her life. Lissa attended Peabody Elementary School, La Cumbre Junior High and Santa Barbara High School. She went on to graduate from University of California Santa Barbara for her undergraduate studies, and also received a Masters in Education from UCSB.

In 1970 she married Robert E. Lee, Jr. (Bob). Together they helped raise Bob’s three children and then were blessed with two children of their own.  She was a kind and devoted mother whom always put her children first.

Lissa was extremely passionate about education and the Spanish language. She became a fluent Spanish speaker and was amongst a select few UCSB Honors Students whom were chosen to travel to Costa Rica to study abroad. After completing her studies and while raising her children, she taught Spanish for Santa Barbara Unified School District. In 1993, she was the recipient of The California Historical Society’s Galland Award for innovative teaching of California’s history in Spanish and English as a second language. Lissa also received the The John Leaf Whittier Award for Character Education, amongst many others.

Lissa loved poetry, horseback riding and swimming. Later in life, she enjoyed photography, gardening, and was an adoring grandmother.

Left to honor Lissa and remember her love are her children Travis (Lee), Laura (Welte), Bobby (Lee), Rhonda (Romero), Robin (Vogel) and her beloved grandchildren Ashley (Welte), Jeremiah (Welte), Cash (Lee), Harper (Lee), Danielle (Lee), Eric (Romero), Christina (Vogel), Bryan (Vogel) and Deanna (Vogel). Lissa was preceded in death by her parents, brother Phillip and her dearly loved husband of 46 years, Bob.

Lissa will be remembered as a strong and wise woman who truly lived for her family. She will be greatly missed.