Lisa Van Blerkom

Lisa Marie Van Blerkom Born October 31, 1963, Ashton, Idaho Died November 27, 2010, Danville, California Beloved wife of David Van Blerkom, mother of Dallin, Brian, Courtney, and Tiffany. Mother-in-law of Samantha and Jennica. Beloved daughter, sister, aunt and friend to many. Lisa was the youngest of eight children. In her youth, Lisa loved music, sports, the outdoors and her family. In high school she was the captain of her high school basketball team, played on the softball team, and was a cheerleader and drill team member. Lisa skied, hiked, and loved target shooting. She loved the beautiful Teton Mountains of Idaho and Wyoming. She also loved country music, and playing the piano. Lisa loved working on the farm with her Mom, Dad and siblings, and was proud that her Dad said she could move a large line of irrigation pipe across a field faster than any of the boys he employed. She, however, did not love milking the cows. Lisa was married, in 1984 in the Idaho Falls LDS temple, to David Van Blerkom, and felt inspired to immediately start a family. She believed that inspiration came in order to raise her children to maturity. She devoted her life and her heart to her husband and children, wanting nothing more than to create a loving home and family. Lisa volunteered in her children's schools, cub scouts and girls' organizations. She coached their basketball teams, and took every opportunity to teach and guide them. Lisa served constantly in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, holding many leadership roles and touching the lives of many. Lisa returned to Idaho frequently, loving the time spent with her extended family, and making sure that her children had close relationships with their grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins. She created wonderful and lasting memories. Lisa was truly a beloved aunt to approximately 40 nieces and nephews. Lisa had many, very dear friends, who truly considered her their sister. Many of her children's friends considered her a second mom. In addition to human friends, Lisa considered her pets as some of her closest companions, as well. She loved walking her dogs, cuddling with her cat, and providing a comfortable home for them. In May 2010, despite suffering from advanced cancer, Lisa and Dave fulfilled her life-long dream by traveling with dear friends to Germany and surrounding areas. She loved every minute of that trip. In 2009 and 2010, Lisa felt great happiness in seeing her two sons, Dallin and Brian, married for time and all eternity in the Oakland LDS temple to wonderful young women. She embraced with love, pride and joy her new daughters, Samantha and Jennica. She was also overjoyed to see her daughter Courtney become engaged to the man of her dreams, Christopher, and very quickly she developed great love for him. She took joy in helping them to plan their wedding in December. During the summer of 2010, Lisa was excited to bring her youngest daughter, Tiffany, to college, and to get her settled into her new dorm room. She was so proud of Tiffany, as she was with all of her children. Lisa's final days were spent with her family around her, in expressions of love and pride for her children, and hope and faith in an eternal family reunion. Lisa truly exemplified faith, hope and charity. A memorial service for Lisa Van Blerkom will be held on Thursday, December 2, 2010, at 11 am in the LDS Chapel at 2949 Stone Valley Road, Danville, California, 94526. Interment will be at the Victor Town Cemetery in Victor, Idaho, on Saturday December 4, 2010, at 12 noon. For those who prefer, In lieu of flowers our family requests that donations in memory of Lisa be made to support Dr. Alan Venook's research at UCSF. Please make checks out to UCSF and on the memo line or on an accompanying piece of paper, write Dr. Alan Venook's Research Fund (B0683) in memory of Lisa Van Blerkom. (Dr. Venook is the leading colon cancer expert on the west coast, and one of the top in the country, and he provided extraordinary care to Lisa. Our family believes his care extended her life considerably.) Contributions can be sent to UCSF c/o Sarah Krumholz, 220 Montgomery Street, 5th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94104. Sarah can be reached with any questions at (415) 502-1899.