Lisa Johanna Slaughter

Fullerton, CA.-- Lisa Johanna Slaughter left this life on October 17, 2010 at the age of 84. She was born Lisa Johanna Irma Toedter in Hamburg, Germany in 1925 to Ernst Johann Christoph Toedter and Irmgard Winkelmann. She met Jon Douglas Slaughter while he was stationed in Weiden, Germany where she was a German interpreter for the British at the end of WWII. They married in 1948 and came to America. Her husband passed away in 1989. She is survived by her son, Jon Christoph Slaughter, daughter, Caprice Timona Foster, and two sisters, Margot Francas and Waltraut Dawson. To her husband she was a devoted wife, to her children a devoted parent, and to her students a devoted teacher. Everyone who could call her their friend has described her as strong and independent, and an inspiration to them. She survived a world war, and then emigrated by ship to a new country that didnt welcome her. Yet she carved out a happy and successful life for herself and her family without complaint, and was proud to have become an American. In Germany, Lisa was well-known as a young teenager for her roller-skating talent at the local central park. Many would summon her from her nearby apartment to come skate for them and sign autographs. After marrying Jon and arriving in America, they spent 5 years in Tennessee before coming to the greater Los Angeles area. She used her skating ability to become a banked track skater with the New York Red Devils roller derby team and competed when the team was on the west coast and Hawaii in 1955 and 1956. Among her other adventures was travelling through the Holy Land and seeing the inside of the pyramids; deep sea fishing in Mexico (once, taking 45 minutes to reel in a sailfish!); taking 1st place in both skeet shooting and Mardi Gras(!) on a cruise in Norway; parasailing and snorkling in Australia; and traveling the west coast deserts and mountains with her husband in search of old mining towns. Later, during the 1980s and early 90s she was an avid dancer and member of the local dance group, Apple Creek Cloggers. In 1988 she was featured in a German documentary about German warbrides which told about the hardships of emigrating to America during, and in the aftermath of WWII. Her occupations were varied due to her insatiable curiosity and appetite for learning. They included roller derby skater, waitress, private investigator, medical transcriptionist, legal secretary, mortgage loan officer, newsletter editor for her husbands corporation, and teaching Spanish - which she enjoyed best. She loved to share her knowledge and discoveries with others. But what her son and daughter valued the most, of all her occupations, was her job as their mother. She made certain that her children would have the best she could offer for the most well rounded upbringing. From the youngest possible age, her children had music, dance, and art lessons; skating and athletics; and all the books they could ever want to read. In 2009, Lisa survived a fight with breast cancer. On October 17, 2010 she left this world with strength and dignity as she she succumbed to lymphoma with her children by her side. An inspiration to all who met her, she will be missed very much. Chris and Caprice invite you share your thoughts about their mother. Please visit the McAulay and Wallace website at http://www.mcaulaywallace.com and click on the Obituary page to search for her guestbook using her name.