Lisa Marie Fakis, age 49, of Hockessin, DE, was murdered senselessly on Thursday, October 24, 2024, around 9:00 pm in downtown Wilmington. The police tried to resuscitate her to no avail, and they do have a person in custody for her death.
Lisa was born to James S. and Patricia R. Fakis in Wilmington, DE. She enjoyed the outdoors and helping all living things. She spent many happy years as a Girl Scout where she honed her camping skills, earned many badges at all levels and excelled at various crafts. She had a deep affection for animals and all her dogs and cats were rescues. She also loved the Renaissance Fair, the beach, Key West, riding her motorcycle, but what she most loved was spending time with her family and friends.
When Lisa was 16, she discovered her first love, ‘Firefighting’. She dedicated her life to the fire service and to make this world a better, safer place. She joined Hockessin Fire Company as their first female. She attended almost every class the Delaware Fire School offered. She earned a spot on the elite High Angle Rescue team. Recognizing a need, she attend classes to become a Nationally Certified EMT.
After graduating A.I. DuPont High School, she earned her Associates Degree at Delaware Technical College in Fire Safety. She then entered Eastern Kentucky University earning a B.S. in Fire Protection and Safety Management. She was then offered a post graduate fellowship at Texas A & M in Environmental Safety Management earning the pre-requisite certifications needed to train and run OSHA safety and environmental programs. She spent her professional career as a Safety Manager for several companies including DuPont and Batta Environmental where she specialized in ergonomics, environmental and construction safety. In 2004, she had a devastating industrial accident that left her disabled but she always considered herself a firefighter and EMT. Most recently, she worked part-time in kitchens and earned her Food Safety Certification.
Including her disability, Lisa had many other physical and mental aliments but her dedication to others continued. In recent years, she found her passion was to help the homeless community in whatever way she could. She felt she needed to live in the community to better assist. She took food and blankets to the community whenever possible.
Lisa was predeceased by her father, James Fakis and her husband, Mark Bledsoe. She is survived by her mother, Pat Fakis, her stepmother, Mary Ellen Fakis, her stepfather, Neil Greenstein and her sisters Andrea Fakis, Melissa Sullivan and Lindsay Hedwig.
A Remembrance Gathering for Lisa will be held at Six Pauper’s Restaurant, 7465 Lancaster Pike, Hockessin, DE 19707 on Saturday, November 23, 2024, from 12:00 pm to 3:00 pm. Friends of Lisa and the family are invited to join us in remembering and sharing Lisa’s impact upon all of us. Interment will be private.
In lieu of flowers, please donate to one of the following 501(c)(3) organizations that Lisa liked and used:
1INB7 is a local organization in NCC, DE that provide showers, clothes washing and more to the homeless in their communities (https://www.1in7bfoundation.org)
Sunday Breakfast Mission, located at110 Poplar Street, Wilmington DE, provides meals, shelter and more (https://sundaybreakfastmission.org/)
Emanuel Dining Hall, 121 Jackson St, Wilmington DE run by The Ministry of Caring provides lunch and much more to the community (https://www.signup82north.com/MinistryOfCaring/).
Lisa, we love and miss you. Your loving family.
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