Lisa Paioni

Lisa Christine Paioni
December 24, 1956 – October 28, 2020

Lisa Christine Paioni, 63, was surrounded by loved ones, in her home, when she passed on to her next journey. There is comfort knowing Lisa was not in pain and she was cared for by her sister Valerie Simcik, her dear friend, Angela Bae and her wife, Pat Akers. She was at peace with her life and relationships and felt wrapped in the love of family and friends.

Lisa was born in Santa Monica, CA, to Charles and Patricia Paioni, and was the oldest of four children.
Lisa always believed in the power of education. In 1988, she received her Bachelor’s degree from Cal. State – L.A. and in 1989 she received her Master’s in Education from UCLA.

Lisa met Pat Akers in 1990 while attending a clinic defense, to defend women’s reproductive rights, a life-long passion of them both. They were inseparable after that.

In 2001, they registered as domestic partners and were granted a few rights as a couple. But they didn’t get married when California legalized same-sex marriage in 2008, even though Lisa loved weddings. They wanted more than just a few rights; they wanted “the whole enchilada”: the 1,138 federal rights and benefits that come with marriage.

Lisa taught elementary school for 16 years in LAUSD and Lawndale SD. At Lawndale, she was introduced to the Cotsen Foundation for the Art of Teaching. Working for two years as a Cotsen mentor to other teachers, she recognized her leadership abilities and enrolled in Pepperdine Univ. In 2007, she received her Master’s in Administration and held an Asst. Principal and two Principal positions in the Bellflower USD. Just prior to graduating from Pepperdine, Lisa was diagnosed with breast cancer.

After the U.S. Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage on June 26, 2013, Lisa and Pat married in the Beverly Hills Courthouse on July 31.

A year later, Lisa’s breast cancer recurred. Through the radiation treatments and several chemo therapies, she was fearless and determined to live her life fully; and she did.

She and Pat enjoyed many traveling adventures including Mazatlán; Montreal and Quebec; Switzerland and Italy; a 10-day Rhine River cruise from Basel, Switzerland to Amsterdam; and their many trips to visit dear friends in New York City; Santa Rosa, CA; and Nelson, British Columbia.

In the last couple of years, much to Pat’s surprise, Lisa became a Dodgers fan and they were thrilled to attend a World Series game in 2018.

Lisa was an avid reader and in recent years enjoyed Young Adult literature, historical fiction, books on Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, and Buddhist philosophy.

Lisa was tough, bravely living with breast cancer and approaching it not as a battle she would win or lose, but as an illness she would face head-on, with fortitude. Throughout everything, she was without self-pity and maintained her sense of humor. The night before she died, when she was told the Dodgers won the World Series, she said softly, "They did?!" Those may have been her last words.

Lisa was preceded in death by her parents. She is survived by her wife of 30+ years, Patricia Akers; brother John Paioni, and his sons Jason and Nicholas; sister Valerie Simcik, husband Scott and their daughter Morgan; sister Gina Katrinak, husband Matt Planer and their children Alexandra and Raymond; and cousins and uncles.

“When you lose someone you love, they never really leave you. They just move into a special place in your heart.”
– Catherine O’Hara

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Lisa's name to:
the [Downtown Women's Center](https://downtownwomenscenter.org/) or
[Planned Parenthood](https://www.plannedparenthood.org/)