Lisa Joan Sansoucy

Lisa J. Sansoucy, a longtime resident of Ithaca, NY, passed away on Monday, December 13, 2021. Born in Worcester, MA on February 13, 1967, she was the daughter of the late Reynald J. and Virginia M. (Charron) Sansoucy. She leaves her siblings, Michele Feinsilver Hoye (Robert Hoye), George Sansoucy (Pamela), Donald Sansoucy (XiaoYu), Karyn Sansoucy (Roy Thurston), and Denise Sansoucy (Francis Phelan). Her grandparents, George and Marion (Fisher) Charron, and Maxime and Alexandra (Lessard) Sansoucy predeceased her.

Growing up, Lisa's neighbors were also extended family members, building strong multi-generational shared experiences. Family reunions at her grandparents' farm in Holden, excursions to ancestral homes in Quebec, and visiting relatives living in Florida, shaped Lisa's joy of family. Lisa looked forward to holiday gatherings and individual milestones. She loved and encouraged her many nieces and nephews: Bethanie (Anderson) Danko, Joseph Feinsilver, Benjamin Feinsilver, David Sansoucy, Austin Sansoucy, Matthew Sansoucy, Heather (Sansoucy) Trudell, Xilian Sansoucy, Drew Sansoucy and Gabriel Phelan. She will be remembered by her beloved aunts and uncles: Georgianna Cole Woodruff, Raymond and Janet Sansoucy, Doris Landsman, Richard Sansoucy (Hope Barton) as well as numerous cousins.

After attending Doherty Memorial High School, Lisa enrolled at Cornell University in Ithaca, NY. There she earned her BA and a Master of Science in political science and government. Lisa participated in Cornell's FALCON Program, completing a full-year language concentration in Japanese. Having also learned Vietnamese, she went on to teach in Hanoi, Vietnam in the early 1990s, followed by several years studying in Tokyo and Yokohama, Japan.

She taught ESL at Worcester State University and political science at Ithaca College then returned to Cornell as Coordinator of Language Learning Initiatives for the University's Language Resource Center.

Lisa maintained lasting friendships for over 30 years in Ithaca. She attended cultural events, shared meals, and planned outings with friends, taking full advantage of this vibrant community set in a picturesque landscape. She played piano and loved musical events and was an avid supporter of local farms and businesses. Lisa explored the natural history of the Finger Lakes region with keen curiosity.

Perhaps her greatest passion was for flying planes. As a young teen, she went on Sunday morning flights with her uncle Ray, fostering skills as his "co-pilot", learning the mechanics of airplanes, and the thrill of flying. He trusted her to accompany him on a flight from Massachusetts to Florida. A few years back, Lisa was given one of her uncle's prized planes. Joining the East Hill Flying Club at the Tompkins Regional Airport in Ithaca brought with it new friendships, joy, and the pursuit of her pilot's license. Lisa was also past president of the Finger Lakes area chapter of Women in Aviation International. Now she has taken flight with the angels; may her journey bring her eternal peace.

A funeral mass will be held on Saturday, February 19 at 10:00 AM at Christ the King Church, 1052 Pleasant Street, Worcester MA. Masks are required for the service. A private burial will follow at Notre Dame Cemetery, 162 Webster Street, Worcester. Services are being coordinated by Miles Funeral Home, Holden, MA, www.milesfuneralhome.com . A springtime Celebration of Lisa's Life will take place in Ithaca, NY, and is in the planning stage. Information will be posted at www.milesfuneralhome.com and also emailed to friends and family.

Memorial contributions can be made to the Lisa Sansoucy Language Scholar Award established by Cornell University's Language Resource Center, ( https://lrc.cornell.edu/ ) or East Hill Flying Club, 62 Brown Rd, Ithaca, NY 14850 for their Discovery Flight Program ( https://flyeasthill.org/flight-training/discovery-flight ).

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