Lisa Hotchkiss

Lisa Ann Thurston Hotchkiss, age 55, surrounded by family members, gently flew away on September 27, 2012, in Austin, Texas.

Lisa was born to John and Phyllis Thurston on June 14, 1957 in Columbus, Ohio. The family moved to Saranac Lake, New York and resided there until 1961. They then relocated to Ames, Iowa where she spent her childhood and teen years communing with nature, raising butterflies on her parents back porch and walking along the Skunk River valley with her dog Patches.

After graduating from Ames High School in 1975, she attended the University of Iowa completing a Bachelor of Arts degree in biology and did extended work to obtain certification as a medical technologist in 1979.

She moved to Austin, Texas and worked in medical labs until 1993 when she began graduate coursework in cell and molecular biology at the University of Texas. Through the years until 2000, she functioned as a research assistant, graduate student coordinator and assisted in teaching undergraduate classes which she found very rewarding.

Her scholastic honors included University of Texas College of Natural Sciences Special Fellowship, Sigma Xi National Honor Society, Marion Elizabeth Eason Biology Scholarship and Phi Kappa Phi National Honor Society.

She also participated in a publication for the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center.
Through this period, she gave birth to her son John and moved on to become the Central Lab Quality Assurance Specialist at PPD Development until 2008, writing and monitoring lab procedures and protocols.

She then devoted her time to raising her son through to his high school graduation. She was also active in community service, including environmental issues, speaking before the City Council on neighborhood integrity issues, and arranging meetings for area homeowners on road development, pond management and community garden information.

Surviving immediate family members are her husband Joel Hotchkiss, her son John Hotchkiss, both of Austin, Texas, her sister Carol Martin of Ames, Iowa, and her niece Jessica Martin of Chicago, Illinois.

The family wishes to express their extreme gratitude to the St. David's North Austin Medical Center, intensive care nurses for their exceptional and loving care of our dear girl.

In lieu of flowers or donations, the family requests her memory would be best honored by going forth into the world and pursuing everyday initiatives that make it a better place to live.

REJOICE IN THE LITTLE THINGS!