After a lengthy battle with cancer which she never allowed to affect her resolve, Lisa Ganley-Leal, 56, of Mattapoisett, left us on Thursday, November 9, surrounded by the presence and love of her family.
Lisa was a fiercely devoted and proud mother to her sons Matthew and Patrick and shared her life, her love and her passion for soccer, home remodeling, travel, gardening, dogs and "all things Halloween" with her children and husband of 23 years, Domingos Leal.
She lived much of her adult life in the shadow of cancer, but her family and friends learned, through her, what resilience and perseverance truly are. To those who knew her, Lisa was defined by her determination, her strength, her fierce independence and her unwavering devotion to her family.
Professionally, Lisa was an accomplished research scientist with many published works pertaining to human immunology and infectious disease. She received her PhD in Immunology from University of Connecticut Health Center, her master’s degree from the University of Saint Joseph in Hartford. The early years of her married life were spent in Atlanta, GA where she worked as a post-doctoral fellow at the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Over numerous visits to Kenya, Lisa would conduct field studies which would lead to a collaboration with the Kenya Medical Research Institute. She continued her research as an assistant Professor of Medicine at Boston University School of Medicine, and later at the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, in Providence RI. Most recently, her years of expertise led to consulting in drug and vaccine development and pandemic preparedness.
Above all, Lisa will be remembered as a devoted mother, wife, daughter, sister, niece, cousin and friend. Among Lisa’s final words on the night she passed, was “I've lived a great life."
Lisa is survived by her parents Thomas and Rollande Ganley, of Newington, CT and her two brothers Thomas and Kevin, also of Connecticut, and their respective families, as well as extended family, friends and loved ones.
Lisa’s family and friends will celebrate her life with a memorial visitation on Wednesday, November 15, 2023 from 4-8 pm at Saunders-Dwyer Mattapoisett Home for Funerals, 50 County Road, Mattapoisett, MA.
In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to the Humane Society and Shelter Southcoast at https://hsssc.org/donate/