Lisa Marie Gutowski Warrior, Teacher, Mother, Wife, Healer, Guide, Best Friend, Traveller, Author, Wicked Crocheter of scarves, die-hard Tigers, Wings, and Lions fan, and all around Lovely and Loving Woman. Lisa came into the world on August 15, 1961, born to Lester and Shirley Fulford in Akron, Ohio. She was a mere 3 pounds 14 ounces, but she was ready to take on the world from the start. She was raised in Cuyahoga Falls with her older brother Michael by her single mother from the age of 4 until she was in junior high school. She attended Cuyahoga Falls High School, where she was a "Tiger Timer" for the basketball teams, and a member of the Economic Club. She graduated in 1979 and shortly afterward moved with her family to Garden City, Michigan. She took a job at The Gap, where she met her first Best Friend, Barb, with whom she had many adventures and kept close throughout her life. Her next job was at Hertz Rent-A-Car, first as a bus driver, then as a rental agent at Metro Airport. Here she made many friends, including her second Best Friend Tina. She also got to meet several celebrities, including Chuck Berry, Ted Nugent, and Diana Ross, who was exceedingly gracious. Along the way she married and had two wonderful boys, Daryll Scott Seitz and Kyle Austin Seitz. Lisa and the boys' father, Scott, raised these loves of her life from two homes, making sure they got plenty of time with their grandparents. Even with a full-time job and motherhood, Lisa found time to train in Tae Kwon Do with Master Berry, taking the boys to school with her. After graduating to Black Belt, Lisa entered Sparks School of Martial Arts, where she met three new Best Friends, Andi Rose (with husband Bill), Kelly (with husband Shelby), and Art, who would later be blessed to become her husband. While earning her Second Degree Black belt, she and Art began dating. They became engaged in March of 1999, after which she certified as a Black Belt Instructor. Art and Lisa were married on May 6th, 2000, with Tina and Barb at her side, and Kelly and Andi "at arms". With this union, she became a permanent member of the family that had already taken her in as one of their own - parents Art (Sr) and Diane, brothers Chris and Brian, "sister" Susan, aunties Barb and Beth, uncles Joe and Chuck, and later, sister Jessica, and nephew Tyler. Lisa and Art honeymooned in the British Isles, collecting many precious memories; vacationed in Mackinaw City, Traverse City, Charlevoix, and the Upper Peninsula; took the boys to Naples Florida, including a tour of the Everglades; travelled to Taos, New Mexico, where they hiked to Williams Lake (11,070 feet); and Sedona, Arizona, where they visited the Grand Canyon. She also took the boys on several trips to Cedar Point, and spent a week in Florida that included a trip to Walt Disney World and the Epcot Center. For her 50th birthday, Art and Lisa went to Maui, Hawaii and collected more precious memories. After 22 years at Hertz, Lisa put herself through school at Irene's Myomassology Institute, and apprenticed for a year. As a LCMT, she worked for many reputable spas including Sylvia's, Image, Bodyworks and the Immerse Spa at MGM Grand in Detroit (where she had brushes with Patrick Dempsy and George Clooney, and got to hear Whitney Houston sing in full voice). She taught massage therapy at NIT, which later became Everest, and guided many students to become successful certified therapists. She also branched out and learned Reiki, becoming a Master Level Instructor. She also became skilled at many other healing arts, including Healing Touch. She made many lifelong friends from her experience as healing arts practitioner. In July, 2013, Lisa was diagnosed with type 2 serous carcinoma, an aggressive form of uterine cancer. After a very traumatic surgery on August 16th, just one day after her 52nd birthday, with extensive recovery and physcial therapy, she recovered and was able to complete four months of chemotherapy. Fortunately, even this shortened regimen was enough to beat back the beast, and she was eventually able to return to work, taking a part time job at Bodyworks in Plymouth. Although she had been known to crochet an afghan or two, it was during this time that she became a voracious maker of winter scarves, blankets, and beanie hats. She celebrated her 53rd birthday, her self-proclaimed "Reboot Day", with friends and family at the Michigan Renaissance Festival...in full regalia. In February of this year, we discovered that the cancer had returned. Undaunted, Lisa began a new treatment plan with a new doctor at a new hospital. Sadly, this time the cancer was stronger than her body, and she lost her battle on June 3rd, 2015. Through it all, she maintained her positive outlook and will to fight. The cancer was never stronger than her spirit, which will live on in every life she touched. She will be sorely missed by Art, Daryll, Kyle, all of her extended family and friends, and every one she knew in person, or in the many discussion and support groups in which she participated all across the world. Please consider sending donations to: Komen Detroit Race for the Cure 4100 John R Detroit, MI 48201 Phone: (800) 527-6266 Email Address: raceforthecure@karmanos.org http://www.komen.org/ or: Wings Cancer Foundation 100 N Humphreys Blvd Memphis, TN 38120 http://wingscancerfoundation.org Lisa was also passionate about environmental causes and loved animals.