Lisa Ann (Malfa) King passed away suddenly at age 60 at St. Luke's Hospital in Bartonsville, PA on Wednesday evening, October 17, 2018.

She had a vibrant, and full life, albeit much shorter than her family expected.

She was born in Paterson New Jersey, and lived in Elmwood Park for many years with her mother and father, Anne and Emmanuel Malfa (who both precede her in death) and her two brothers, Mark and Sammy. Her family had a summer home in Ortley Beach that gave her a deep love of the beach and ocean. It was one of her favorite places in the world. She attended catholic school and made many lifelong friends that she cherished, including Diana Iapichino and Philamena Petruccelli. She graduated from Immaculate Conception High School in 1976. She attended the Berkley Business School and graduated with her Executive Secretarial Degree in 1978. She began her employment at Picatinny Army Arsenal in 1978, where she met her husband, Roderick King. After 15 years at the arsenal, progressing to a Production Controller; she left that profession to care for her growing family. She is survived by two children, her daughter, Geena (King) Brink, 28, and her husband, Thaddeus, and her son, Joseph King, 23.

When Geena and Joseph entered the Pleasant Valley School District, she returned to work as a Para-Professional, working with special needs children. Her many coworkers quickly turned into very close friends whose relationships she cherished and spoke of often. She took great pride in working with the children in the Life Skills class at Pleasant Valley Middle School. She loved her students, and spoke of them lovingly and with pride in their achievements.

She was very active in her children's lives, keeping them active in baseball, dance classes, scouting, and their progression through marching band. She was an Assistant Girl Scout Troop Leader beginning in 1996, where she met Robbin Serfass and Judy Sanbeg, two of her very best friends. She supported her daughter, Geena, to achieve her silver award in 2006. She was also very active in Cub and Boy Scouts, supporting her son, Joseph, as he achieved the highest honor of Eagle Scout in 2013. She was an enthusiastic band parent and frequently braved the frigid temperatures to support, feed, and cheer on the Pleasant Valley Marching Band at both Friday night games, and Saturday night competitions, spreading her love among the many musicians for almost 10 years.

As her children grew, she became an avid supporter of their respective colleges and their marching bands. She attended many Penn State football games wearing blue and white for the Penn State Blue Band and many East Stroudsburg University games cheering on the Warrior Marching Band. Her children were the center of her life and she found such happiness in giving to them, and to their friends when their parents may have been absent.

On one side of the family, she is survived by her brother, Salvatore (Sammy) Malfa of Scottsdale, Arizona, and Mark and his wife Lisa Malfa, of Effort. She was also survived by a nephew, Mark Malfa, a niece, Katie Malfa, and three beautiful grand nephews Lukas, Harley, and Myles, Josie (Malfa) McCall, and three beautiful grand nieces, Madilyn, Annabelle, and Juliet. Josie and her daughters lived very close as they grew, and she loved them as her own granddaughters. They brought her so much daily joy with Facebook video messages and silly Snapchat filters. She will also be deeply missed by a loving niece, Carmela Malfa.

On her husband's side of the family, she is survived by five nieces, Michelle, Lauren, Andrea, Kristin, and Alissa, and two nephews, David King and his wife Lauren and Tyler, all missing their Tia Lisa and her kind words and warm heart. She is also survived by her mother-in-law, Mayard King, a loving sister-in-law, Thea King, brother and sister-in-law, Douglas and Carol King, of Aiken, South Carolina, brother and sister-in-law Stephen and Tabatha King of Maine, and is preceded in death by her father-in-law, Donald E. King, and brother-in-law, Donny King.

Her house was always warm and full of food. She made all who came feel as welcome as her family, taking great care to make sure everyone felt taken care of. Lisa was an exceptional cook, and many remember her as someone who was warm, and kind, always made sure they had enough to eat, and never felt ignored or unappreciated. Her family fondly remembers dinners at the dining room table, always beginning with saying grace, and long conversations that always came after everyone was finished eating.

She began her trying journey with Crohn's disease in 2012, struggling with the disease and its affects until her death. She was limited in her ability to do what she wanted, needing hours to prepare before leaving home, and never knowing how her body would react to new and unfamiliar situations. She felt heavy guilt for not spending time with her wonderful friends, for missing many special occasions, and for not being able to be the welcoming and loving person that she prided herself in being due to the constraints of her illness. She had a surgery that was going to alleviate many of her symptoms and allow her body time to heal on Thursday, October 11th. This brought excitement and hope to her family, and while it was a big change, gave her hope for the future as well. She had left the hospital and spent a few, invaluable days sleeping in her own bed, eating her favorite food at her own table, and giving love to her loved pet cat, Cuzzy. Her family is so thankful that she was given these precious last few days in her home with a heart filled with hope.

She passed suddenly Wednesday evening from complications and a strain put on her body from her surgery surrounded by doctors that did their very best work. Her family is thankful for her medical team that has been there for her and for her family these many years; she always felt taken care of, heard, and safe. Her family finds peace in knowing that, after many exhausting years of pain, discomfort, and missing the life she so desperately wanted to get back to, she is finally at peace and freed from her disease. She surrounds all she loved in her warm embrace, and can now be everywhere she couldn't be before. Her family is thankful for her time and for her love, and are thankful, now, for her restful peace.

A viewing is scheduled at the William H. Kresge Funeral Home in Brodheadsville, PA for Sunday, October 21st from 5pm - 7:30pm with a prayer vigil to begin at 7pm. A mass for her will be celebrated at 10am on Monday, October 22nd at Our Lady Queen of Peace Church in Gilbert, PA with a burial at Buena Vista Cemetery, followed by a luncheon at the church. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to Our Lady Queen of Peace Church, P.O. Box 38, Brodheadsville, PA 18322.