Lisa Marie Nowak

After growing up in Harper Woods and attending high school at Grosse Pointe North Lisa moved to Livonia and graduated from Livonia Stevenson High School in 1979. She attended the University of Michigan where she earned a bachelors in accounting in 1983. She started her career in public accounting working for Ernst & Whinney (now EY), where she became a Certified Public Accountant and was promoted to manager. She left to join Pepsi Co. as a finance analyst when she and Greg were married. (Spouses were not allowed to work in the same public accounting firm!) Her role with Pepsi led to a position with the Soft Drink Association of Michigan, where she worked as a consultant until her passing.

Lisa will be remembered for her generosity, bright smile, strength, poise, beauty and determination. Her greatest joy in life was spending time with her children and granddaughter, Norah, who held a very special place in her heart. Lisa took on numerous volunteer roles throughout her life and was dedicated to numerous philanthropic causes including the Belle Isle Conservancy, Detroit Historical Society, and Ascension Providence Foundation. She was also a passionate advocate for education and was a long serving board member and president of the Rochester School Board, and was also active with the Rochester PTA.

She is survived by her husband of 32 years Gregory Nowak, her son Ian Nowak, her daughter Erica Manzella and husband Jimmy; her granddaughter Norah Hunter, her mother Barbara Wade, her sister Linda Kozlowski and husband Jeff, and her brother Alan Japes.

A celebration of Lisa’s life will be planned in the spring or summer, details to follow.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial donations to the Belle Isle Conservancy.