University remembers the inspirational life of Dr. Lisa Kohlmeier

During an evening prayer service at La Sierra’s Hole Memorial Auditorium they expressed their grief, comforted each other and remembered Dr. Kohlmeier who passed away unexpectedly Jan. 23 at age 47. The event followed two days during which current and former students and colleagues expressed their shock and sorrow through various means, including on social media where a university Facebook post announcing the news had reached more than 13,700 people by the end of Thursday.

Leading the evening’s service, La Sierra University President Randal Wisbey described the enthusiasm he and Dr. Kohlmeier shared for the work of abstract expressionist painter Mark Rothko, and how much his son, Alexander, enjoyed her classes.

“I will always be thankful for Lisa. Lisa was one of our son’s favorite professors,” Wisbey said. “He loved the books she assigned, …and he loved Lisa. Whenever she talked to me about my son, her eyes would light up.

Tonight we are here to talk about our friend, our colleague, our teacher. We do so as members of this Christian community. This is what we do when we hurt,” he told the gathering, “and when we need to most remember that God is present in this sorrow. In these moments of darkness his light still breaks through.”

“I had the great privilege of being one of Dr. Kohlmeier’s students,” said Jonathan Mamora, a piano performance major who spoke before performing an arrangement of “Abide With Me.” “She was always joyful. You would tell her something and she would truly care.”

Student Association President Nikki Godfrey read Psalm 42 and later commented, “she’s been such a part of La Sierra for me. She deeply cared about getting to know the students. She was a fighter for the students.”

Associate sociology Professor Ken Crane and his family were first befriended by Dr. Kohlmeier when they arrived in 2008 and she invited them to her home for Sabbath lunch. Crane's wife Rebecca Waring-Crane, a former freshman composition instructor recalled, “Lisa was the first person on campus to be kind to me and my family. She made us feel welcome and we started to have a history.” She remembered Dr. Kohlmeier’s support through family difficulties and her ability to recognize ordinary things as special. “Lisa really was about making people feel at home.”

Ken Crane, who also serves as chair of the History, Politics and Sociology department where Dr. Kohlmeier worked commented on the outpouring shown by the La Sierra community. “One thing I’ve experienced is how deep the well here is at La Sierra, the well of compassion and support that has been extended to our department and Lisa’s family,” he said. “One of the things I remember most about Lisa is she had this sense of who was experiencing some difficulty among our students. That was part of her big heartedness and something that we as a department want to continue as her legacy.”

April Summitt, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences described her friendship with Dr. Kohlmeier and their shared love of books and music. “She was always saying, ‘do you have this CD? [If not], she would give me a CD. She would fix it for me.” Summitt talked about a Mary Chapin Carpenter concert they attended last fall, and read the lyrics to a Carpenter song, “The Blue Distance.”

History Professor Jeff Dupée brought a bit of levity to the occasion by describing the meals Dr. Kohlmeier enjoyed cooking for friends and students. “If you’ve been to one of Lisa’s get-togethers at her house, it’s quite an experience. The kitchen is filled with food,” he said. Like Italian meals in “The Godfather” movies, “dinner or lunch is an event,” he said. Dr. Kohlmeier would sometimes invite him into her office to share Starbucks goodies and chat about politics, pop culture, movies. “I can’t tell you how much I’m going to miss her, how much I cherished her and her smile, an incredible kind of warmth,” Dupée said.

Iris Landa, former director of academic advising and orientation recalled Dr. Kohlmeier’s interaction with Sylvia’s Serenity Homes for recovery and rehabilitation, and the support her "Home and Homelessness" class gave to the organization. “Lisa, you have left a legacy here in Riverside with the poor. You will be greatly missed,” said Landa.

Several current and former students of Dr. Kohlmeier’s also talked of the deep loss they felt. Some described the impact of her teachings in American history, feminism and gender studies.

“She opened my eyes to new perspectives” surrounding the Civil War’s history and its connections with the feminist movement, said one student. “When people think of the feminist movement they think of Susan B. Anthony. But for me, when someone says feminist, the first picture that will appear is Dr. Kohlmeier,” he said.

Another student described Dr. Kohlmeier’s class on the Civil War as one of his favorites. “Every time she talked to a student and listened to their opinion was an opportunity for her to learn more. She was a generous listener and a constant student of her students.”

“She was my professor, my boss, my advisor, she was so supportive,” said another. “It is so unfair that we had someone so giving taken away from us, but we were lucky to have her at all.”

Numerous La Sierra Facebook page comments further testified to Dr. Kohlmeier’s inspiration and long-reaching impact. Wrote Daniel Gramling, “Dr. Kohlmeier was truly a one of a kind talented professor and an extremely caring person. She has had an enormous impact on my life and will be greatly missed.”

“I am devastated,” wrote Stephanie Thompson. “She means so much to her students. Such a beautiful woman, mind, body and soul. She made her classes so engaging. Gave us a desire to learn, push boundaries and open our eyes.”

In Humanities Hall, Kohlmeier’s students and colleagues expressed their sorrow and their thanks by decorating her office doorway with notes, letters, balloons and flowers.

Dr. Kohlmeier began her La Sierra tenure in 2005 after teaching history at Atlantic Union College in South Lancaster, Mass. for three years. She earned two bachelor’s degrees from AUC, graduating Summa Cum Laude. In 2009, she jointly earned master’s and doctoral degrees in American history from Claremont Graduate University. Her numerous fellowships and awards include an American Association of University Women publication grant, two La Sierra research grants, and the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History Fellowship. She gave a variety of engaging scholarly presentations at prestigious universities and conferences around the United States including “The Power of Photographs in Documenting the Complexity and Meanings of Alice James’s Sickroom” at Yale University.

Kohlmeier had completed a book manuscript at the time of her passing titled “Women Creating Home: Stories of the Quest for Roots and Possibility.” The work draws from her extensive research and analyzes the homes of female icons of social justice, reformation, literature and feminism such as escaped slave, abolitionist and author Harriet Jacobs and suffragist Alice Paul.

Her work outside of La Sierra included serving as a member of the American Association of University Women and working on the Obama for President campaign of 2008. 

A memorial service was held Sabbath, Feb. 4 at 3 p.m., at the La Sierra University Church. The family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to Sylvia's Serenity, 9184 Hawthorne Ave., Riverside, Calif., 92505, or by PayPal at Myserenity1909@aol.com.