Lisa (Elsbury) Carnegis
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Lisa Mareen (Elsbury) Carnegis, 58, of Beavercreek and formerly of Greenfield, Ind., passed away Friday, September 22, 2023, at her residence.
Lisa was born in Anderson, Indiana, and graduated from Greenfield Central High in Indiana, where she was active in the marching band and Job’s Daughters. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Anderson College and a master’s degree from the University of Dayton, both in elementary and special education. She spent her life doing what she loved: teaching young children and those with special needs. She worked 34 years for Miamisburg City Schools and was planning to retire next year. After getting married, she became active in her church at Kirkmont Church in Beavercreek, where she taught Sunday school and served as a deacon.
Extremely family-oriented, even to extended family members, Lisa will be remembered for a personality that was welcoming, warm, often ornery, and accepting of everyone she met. She always showed love and care to friends and family, was a great listener, always willing to offer advice, and had a significant positive impact on former students, co-workers, family, and friends. While she was growing up, Lisa was active in 4-H. Growing up in a farming family, she’s always had an affinity for the farm life, especially for cows. Even while working in education, she still assisted with the family farm, REF Shorthorn, by working with the books and having a financial interest. Her other hobbies included sewing, flower and vegetable gardening, and cooking. She was quite talented as a seamstress and was known to make immaculate clothes for herself and for others. The family will always remember her delicious chicken and noodles and her famous Mamaw’s Chili, which was chili with noodles, but not like Skyline Chili (which has always been a family joke). She also loved getting her car washed, swimming in her pool, watching reality TV shows and college basketball, getting her nails done, and rooting on several Indiana sports teams, often at the angst of her family rooting on the Ohio teams. She developed fond family traditions including dinner together every night, Sunday afternoon cookouts, and attending the fair circuits in Wisconsin and Indiana each summer. Among many things, she will be remembered for her love of cows, even before it was cool, her love of Graeters Ice Cream sundaes, and Diet Coke, her love of always having pets running around the house, and especially her four children.
She is survived by her husband of 34 years, Ken; four children, twins Colby (Brittany) Carnegis and Alex Carnegis, Kristin Carnegis, and Luke Carnegis; her parents, Richard and Judith Elsbury; three brothers, Dr. Timothy Elmsbury (Dr. Deb Schneider), Dave (Colleen) Elsbury, and Gary (Molly) Elsbury; the many extended family members Lisa adored; and several grand dogs.
Anderson University educates students for lives of faith and service, offering more than 50 undergraduate majors, 30 three-year degrees, 20 NCAA Division III intercollegiate sports, alongside adult and graduate programs. The private, liberal arts institution is fully accredited and recognized for excellence in business, computer science, cybersecurity, engineering, music, nursing, psychology, and teacher education programs. Established in 1917 in Anderson, Indiana, by the Church of God, the university remains committed to its Christ-centered mission.