Woman who attended her own ‘living funeral’ Monique Lisa dies in Gosford
A terminally ill woman who celebrated her life at a ‘living funeral’ earlier this year has died, with friends and family remembering her as “a rock star”.
Confidential
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A woman who celebrated her life with a living funeral has died three weeks later.
Monique Lisa, 57, outlived doctors predictions as she battled terminal Interstitial Lung Disease or cancer of the lining of the lung.
She was surrounded by family and friends when she passed at 5.10pm on Tuesday at Gosford Hospital.
“Mon is now at peace, she lived an incredible life absolutely to the fullest and she will be missed by everyone that was lucky enough to meet her,” Lisa’s brother Jon Goddard said.
“For her, having the living funeral, she spoke about it daily as her health declined, she really got to see just how much everybody loved her and I’m sure it was one of the last things she was thinking about as she slipped away.”
The Daily Telegraph attended Lisa’s life celebration and “shenanigans” at Spencer Thai on Wiseman’s Ferry Road, Spencer, on June 23.
More than 50 friends packed the venue where she spoke of the gratitude she felt at being able to say goodbye while admitting she held some fear about what was to come.
“We are celebrating my life because, why not? How awesome is it — doesn’t everybody say they wish they could be at their own funeral?,” she said at the time.
“Some people have said to me it is up yourself and I don’t think it is that,” she said of hosting the party. “I’ve learnt the effect I’ve had on people. When you live life, and you go, ‘I really haven’t achieved much’, I always thought my house was my achievement and it appears it isn’t, it appears my achievement is you guys.”
Celebrated as a woman who has always lived life to the full, Lisa has worn many hats through various careers.
She worked in the music industry, and television, including a stint producing on set of I’m A Celebrity … Get Me Out Of Here. More recently she spent two years travelling Europe on a motorcycle named Konrad and did an MBA at Monaco University.
“If I didn’t do that, I’d be pretty pissed off I reckon,” she said. “I am just so glad I had the opportunity to really live my life, like really live every ounce of my life, which I think is so important to do.”
Close friend Ang Vogt said: “As full on and hard as her battle has been with cancer, the beauty that came out of it was time spent with friends and our friends being really honest with her about the impact she had on their lives.
“That helped Mon understand how worthwhile her life was. Everyone that knew her or came into contact with her has been given a gift of really learning how to live life with a full heart and an adventurous spirit.
“Having a living wake with family and friends was such a brilliant, fun, joyful day, everyone absolutely loved it and especially for Mon, it was an incredible moment to be present with those she loved and have a lot of fun at the same time. She was truly a rock star.”
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