Lisabeth “Lis” Ann Munro passed away peacefully at her home in Portland. She was the beautiful daughter of Al and Genevieve Ridgway. As hard as it is to explain an extraordinary woman such as Lis (mom), I’ll do my damnedest…

She was born at “the old” St. Vincent’s hospital and grew up in Northwest Portland. She attended Chapman, Cathedral, and then went on to high school at St. Mary’s downtown. Her magnificent sister Karen remembers her older sister always got up 1.5 hours early to make sure her hair was perfect, and she loved talking on the phone. Lis also attended the University of Portland for one year, but back in those days she set higher goals than a college degree. Mission accomplished: she soon met D. Ranney Munro and off they went on the journey of a lifetime. Lis didn’t waste any time: before she knew it she had four boys with Ranney and dedicated her life to her kids, which was harder than any full time job. However, as the kids grew she opened her own plant store – flowers and gardening were always a passion. She also dabbled in Real Estate and started her own greeting card company.

Later in life Lis divorced the one and only Ranney, yet they always remained dearest of friends. In 1990 she met a patient, upstanding man in Peter Celli. They continued living the joys of life with love, laughter, a few glasses of wine, and the odd cigarette. Mom and Pete moved to Florida in 2004, where Pete had spent much of his life. My mom was always a huge fan of the beach – Gearhart, Oregon especially – so Florida sounded fantastic. She enjoyed the warmth, Pete’s friends and family, and her continued love for the game of tennis. And whether nice or feisty, she always had a dog by her side throughout her life.

Over time the Oregonian in my mom caught up with her. She yearned for the beauty of her childhood memories (time spent on her grandparents’ farm), the incredible, awe-inspiring friends she missed dearly (a.k.a The Golden Girls), and her sister and brother. Her four boys were also a driving force in her choice to return: plus, she could never understand why it was such a nightmare to simply recycle in Florida. Until her final breath Lis continued her witty and wicked sense of humor, utter kindness, deep strength, and relentless charm. In fact, the day she was diagnosed with cancer she turned to me with a gleaming grin and said, “Honey, I’ve lived a great life!”

Lis is survived by her four boys, Warner, Chris, Brooks, and Conrad; sister, Karen; and brother, Gordy; granddaughter, MecKenzie; and great-granddaughter, McKenna; husband, Pete; and stepchildren, Tony and Gina.

Lis didn’t want a funeral, but her “Celebration of Life” will be held from 2-5 p.m., January 20, 2017 at the Multnomah Athletic Club. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Oregon Humane Society.

Celebration of Life

2:00 PM – 5:00 PM ,Friday, January 20, 2017
Multnomah Athletic Club