Lisa Marie Christofferson

Birth name: Maria Apodaca
Adopted Maiden name: Lisa Marie Howard

September 21, 1946  –  July 29, 2024

Lisa was born on Tuesday, September 21, 1946, in Ysleta, Texas to her parents, Jose & Guadalupe Apodaca. She died on Monday, July 29, 2024, in Seattle, WA at the age of 77, just shy of turning 78. She passed away after being sick for several years due to an auto-immune disease.  Lisa always had a smile on her face, was a happy person and busy doing something. She was full of energy and loved to be with her children (Giana, Angelina, Jelain, Anton and her wonderful granddaughter Ava), family and friends. Though her life was cut short, she lived it to the fullest. She will be sorely missed by everyone who knew her.

Lisa Marie Christofferson lived with her mother (Guadalupe) and siblings Joseph Anthony, Elizabeth and Fred (Alfredo) Murray. Guadalupe had two older children¸ Robert and Hilda, that were born in Bacerac, Senora Mexico. Robert was born in 1940 and lives in the USA. Hilda was born in 1944 but passed away when she was nine months old. Shortly after her mother passed away, Lisa (14 years old) asked for help from the authorities, so that her and her siblings would not be separated. They were kept together in foster homes, under the direction of the Los Angeles court system until they were adopted by Harry & Mary Howard of Pasadena, CA on August 4^th, 1967. Once her adoption papers were finalized, she changed her name to Lisa Marie Howard.

When living with the Howard family, Lisa attended schools in the Pasadena, California area. Her preschool through the fifth-grade years was spent in the Charter Oak Elementary School District, in Covina, CA. In addition to being an excellent student, Lisa was involved with High School government, other school, and non-school activities.  She particularly enjoyed social group activities. Lisa was also busy in programs that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints provided for the youth. Lisa was close to her adopted parents and they did many things together as a family of 21 children. Lisa loved to spend time with her adopted father and go with him on speaking assignments for their church.

She served a two-year mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, in the Texas Spanish Mission. She returned home to California for about a month and then went to Hawaii to visit a missionary companion in July or August in 1970. While in Hawaii, she met Donald Christofferson at a Halloween dance on October 31, 1970. They quickly fell in love and got married in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in the Laie Temple on March 13, 1971. The Marriage Reception was at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Institute of Religion in Honolulu. They had been married for 53 years. Lisa was a wonderful wife and a great mother that dearly loved all her children. She stayed busy with taking care of her children, managing the home and finances when her husband travelled for work, church callings and volunteering at the children’s schools. She also did probation work for the City of Bellevue for many years. In 1999, she purchased and managed her Floral and Gift retail store (A Flower Shop) in Kirkland, WA. She provided consultations and prepared floral arrangements for weddings and funerals. Occasionally she managed catering for various events. She also prepared beautiful flower arrangements and gift baskets for private and corporate accounts. She loved doing this as she felt that her work would provide joy and happiness in many lives – which was evident when she saw their faces light up.

The last several years, Lisa spent much time with her siblings and many of her relatives from her birth mother’s family. It was wonderful to see them all together when the family gatherings took place. There is much love and happiness at these family reunions.

A celebration of life for Lisa was held at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Evans Creek Ward, on August 10, 2024. Barton Family Funeral Services oversaw Lisa’s cremation arrangements.

Lisa’s final wish would be that this world would be a kinder place, and that people would get along and all wars, conflicts and famine would end.