LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A teacher known for inspiring her students at Louisville Male High School was remembered on Friday at a funeral visitation.
Lisa Carson, a mother to a 1-year-old daughter, died at the age of 43 on Aug. 5. Carson was diagnosed with lung cancer days before she gave birth to her daughter. She died just just over a week after her daughter turned one.
Carson spent her entire teaching career at the JCPS high school.
Amy Shumate, a science teacher at Male, met Carson 25 years ago when they were both students at the University of Louisville. Shumate recommended that Carson apply to teach at Male in 2006, and they taught together ever since.
"I told her to go apply at Male and start teaching biology, and was given the job and has made an impact ever since," Shumate said.
Lisa Carson.
"She had incredible passion for every student," Shumate said. "A passion for students' emotional and mental health, their outlook on life. It wasn't just about the content, it was about making them a better citizen, better person, better student, helping them with whatever was going on at home."
Former students shared stories about how Carson was more than a biology teacher at Male. She led proms and extracurricular activities as a class sponsor and was faculty leader for the Hugh O'Brian Youth Leadership (HOBY) program.
"Having her for biology she was also just very helpful learning how to study and I think that also carried forward to college and she built a lot of skills within students every day," said former student Emily Doyle.
Lisa Carson with former student Kierra Rogers.
Kierra Rogers didn't like science until she came to Carson's biology class as a freshman. That tutelage led Rogers to studying biomedical engineering, and she now works for Boston Scientific.
Rogers says Carson wasn't just a teacher, she was an educator.
"Ms. Carson taught you how to navigate life, not only high school," Rogers said. "If there is any teacher that I can say taught me how to study, it was her."
Carson's former students are devoted on memorializing their teacher's life for her daughter, Anna, who was born days after Carson's cancer diagnosis.
Lisa Carson with former student Catheryn McDowell.
Catheryn McDowell, a 2018 graduate of Male, organized a letter collection to gather memories for Carson's daughter. She hopes those memories can be something that gives Anna a glance of her mother's personality.
The cards and Facebook posts include stories, memories and advice Carson shared with her students.
"When she needs that, she can have that resource to sit down and go through," McDowell said.
Friends also want Carson's daughter to know how much she was loved.
Anna, Lisa Carson's 1-year-old daughter.
"She lit up the last time she saw her in the hospital room," Shumate said. "She loved watching her change month-to-month this last year as she you know learned to crawl, then walk, say some words."
Carson also recorded an audio clip of her reading, which will be shared with her daughter so she'll know her mother's voice.
"She was a special person, a friendly person, everyone would be welcomed by her, her smile, her pleasant attitude and outlook on life," Shumate said. "She was a light in so many lives."
Carson's funeral service will be held at 11:30 a.m. Aug. 13 at Farmdale Baptist Church. Memorial gifts can be made out to the Lisa Carson Scholarship Fund at Male High School.
To donate to a scholarship fund to honor her legacy for a Male High School student, click here or mail checks to Lisa Carson Scholarship Fund 4409 Preston Hwy., Louisville, Ky. 40213.
To write a handwritten note for Anna, those can be mailed to Molly Hazel-Skrodenis at 517 Kingston Ave., Louisville, Ky. 40214. Email or other digital mementos can be sent to Catheryn.LaRayna@gmail.com.
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