Springfield loses one of it's grand ladies and early pioneers

[chris farley]

I will I have to dig it out but I have others,   I am feeling too sad right now.  When she left the club to open Epicurean, and I went into the club, she told me she thought God had sent me.  That was one of the nicest things anyone said to me

[alta]

 I moved to Springfield in June 08. Although I never had to chance to meet Lisa she sounds like a great person.  Does Phil still live in Jacksonville?  Would love to hear more stories about what they did in Springfield.  How old was she?  She doesn't look that old from the picture that Stephen posted. 

[chris farley]

Lisa showed no fear fighting drug dealers, she once had a molotov cocktails thrown through her hallway window by one she had removed from this area, maybe she was responsible for this peace bubble

[Doug V]

Phil and Lisa's positive influence extended beyond the edges of Springfield.  In the mid 90's when I was struggling to address neighborhood issues that HabiJax was encountering in Royal Terrace, Michael Bryant told me to talk with the Nearys, that they were doing great things in Springfield.  I met with Phil in the Women's Club, and asked lots of questions.  I also loined in on a couple of Springfield neighborhood walks.  We applied the things we learned from the Nearys in Royal Terrace, the Eastside and other blighted areas. 

Lisa's legacy lives on, and not only in Springfield.

Doug Vanderlaan

[strider]

Phil and Lisa had to sell their wonderful house on 7th, but they just moved around the corner onto Liberty in a little bungalow.  I spent time today with Phil and he is OK, but, as you would guess, very, very sad. We will attend to the arrangements tomorrow and I will let all know about them.

Strangely, the drug dealer that tried to burn down their house wasn't one that they had helped "moved on", he just thought they had. Such was their reputation at the time.

Some of the funds Lisa and Melissa got for the parks...the city somehow actually cut a check once and handed it over to Lisa at a ceromony.  I believe they asked for it back as that was not how it was normally done.  As you might guess Lisa kept it and it was in the safe keeping of the Womans Club for many years as some issue kept the work from being done.

The picture Stephen posted makes Lisa look heavier...I don't think she ever weighed more than 110 pounds in her life.....at least during the time I knew her.

Jimmy used to frighten many, but Lisa would walk right up to him and tell him what for and he would obey.

She is already very missed....

[02roadking]

I know this is not a great pic, but, it is the best that I have. Lisa is in the center, with the red top. This was a great day.

[chris farley]

Terrie Fields handed over a check for $150,000 to Lisa when she and Melissa and a very small group of ardent ladies, including Eva and Sandra O"Quinn first re adopted the parks.  They needed this money for matching funds on the then available ISTEA (Intermodal Surface Transport Efficiency Act) grants.  Any grant  proposal meant you had to come up with 25% matching funds.  They are VERY involved grants and required much headwork and many trips to Tallahasee.  I no longer have access to records, but the first grant request was in the area of $280,000 which was 210,000 from the ISTEA and $70,000 from the Fields check.  That grant made Confederate Park what it is today.  It had no fence, it was a swamp with much garbage (and shopping carts)  in what had been the lake, and was a general mess.  They fenced it, they planted all of the lovely trees around the perimeter, - (the land near the creek will not hold tree roots) they cleaned the lake and redid the fountain in the middle..   They put in lighting and an irrigation system,  the plans laid out were very involved.  They put the nesting island and either swam out or went in a dingy to do this task. The then director of the parks - his name began with B, he preceeded the last one, did not really like the Club and its women doing what they were doing, so Melissa used to say, be careful or I will put on my pantyhose and come down and talk to you.  There used to be a huge sign on the Main Street side of the park, detailing the work done by the club, it was removed c 2002.  In the early 90s they wrote a further grant for 400,000 requiring  $320,000 from the ISTEA fund and taking the last 80,000 of the Fields money.  This came through  just about when Lisa left the Club to do the Epicurean.  (My dates may be a little bit fuzzy).  The park director did not let the club know that the money had come through, so it sat for several years until a new director "discovered" $400,000 just sitting - the interest at that time was high and the money earned much.  What is amazing the $80,000 sat in the club's bank for about 10 or 12 years gaining interest.  Lisa and Melissa could have bought Mercedes, but it was not touched.  By the time the grant money was discovered, we could no longer do the things spelled out in the ISTEA request due to contamination, so we now have a wonderful dog park, there was a further 120,000 spent on palm trees and bushes.  The ISTEA money may only be spent on a project on a Federal Highway, which is what Main Street is, hence Confederate got the money.  Because the money sat in the city's bank for so long it really became part of  general funds, but the 400,000 was achieved without using the 80,000 in the Club account, so with that  the statue was restored, part of the rose arbor paid for and much renovation is being done on the club building.  The interest also helped pay for the fountain. All thanks to Lisa and Melissa. I doubt we shall see their ilk again.   All these grants writtern  when things were not good in Springfield, all done in faith in the future of their beloved neighborhood..
Sorry if this is confusing, I write with much teary sadness.

I wrote previously of Lisa saving the club and its building, she also achieved a grant to restore the building but she and the ladies did so much of the work themselves. Lisa is an incredible part of the club's and Springfield's  history, we have to put a bench in the park with her name on it.

[Springfield Girl]

I have many fond memories of Lisa. She is one of the people that made me love Springfield. I loved sitting in the Women's Club listening to the tales she told. I loved sitting on the front porch of the Epicurean and later listening to the amazing jazz musicians that played there. My early days in Springfield felt very much like Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil and I feel very lucky to have experienced that. Lisa will be missed.

[Dan B]

Chris, I think the idea of a bench is a great one. I actually wondered if anyone would suggest it.

I cant think of a more apropos tribute to her.

[chris farley]

I called Debbie Thompson, since it probably should also come from the club.  She is putting a proposal to the board, they will maybe have a fund raiser. If not I will do it. I am calling Craig Pedroni in the morning to see if the price is still the same, our Michael bench is a custom design, made from the same material as the base of the fountain.
Lisa was so excited when the history of the fountain was found.  She had two desires - the fountain restoration and the cleaning of the Woman of the South.  She had written a grant request in about 92 to do the statue, but it was turned down.

[Debbie Thompson]

I've sent a proposal to the Board of the Springfield Woman's Club to be discussed at this Friday's board meeting. More info to come in the next couple of weeks. I think Chris' idea of a bench like the one the entire community did for Michael is perfect.

[Johnny]

This is so sad, she was the first person my wife & I met in the neighborhood when we first moved into the neighborhood. We would on occasion visit Epicurean and have drinks, while chatting with Lisa and anyone else that was in the bar area while there. She was very friendly, honest & full of stories about the neighborhood. She showed us a lot of kindness and helped us feel welcome here. Our condolences go out to her husband and family. Springfield will miss her dearly.

Johnny & Roxanne

[dondonahoe]

My heart has been ripped out...  To know Lisa truly was to love her..  She was so unique, and so fun, I knew her for years and we spent many an evening discussing many many things.  I will truly miss her.. Good bye my friend. She and I would hash things out sometimes to the point of frustration but we always got past our differences and played up on our similarities.  I don't know what else to say, this is very difficult.  I'm very very saddened.

[chris farley]

Don I tried so hard to get to you.  Sadly your numbers were in my private messages in the Spar Forum.  They could not find your name in the directory and there were about 10 Jim Greens.  I knew you would be terribly sad, I hope you both are well, miss you

[dondonahoe]

Chris,

I'll send you an email with both of our numbers.  Thank you and Huge hug...