Elizabeth "Lisa" Brooks Hodges Poore

Elizabeth "Lisa" Brooks Hodges Poore passed away on Palm Sunday, March 24, 2024.  She was born in Annapolis, MD, on October 20, 1938, to Charles Ballance Brooks and Elizabeth Crenshaw Brooks.

As the daughter of a Naval Officer, she moved frequently.  In 1941, the family resided in Hawaii.  She was present at the time of the Japanese bombing at Pearl Harbor.  After some time and with her father away, the Brooks family moved back to Memphis, TN to reside with her mother’s family. 

Her favorite time as a teenager was at the U.S. Naval Academy, where she learned to sail, enjoy all of the athletic games, and the Academy’s many social functions.

Her first marriage was to a Navy fighter pilot, Lieutenant David Lawton Hodges.  They had two daughters, Carolyn, and Alison.  In October 1967, Lieutenant Hodges was shot down while leading a strike mission near Hanoi, North Vietnam.  Lieutenant Hodges' remains were repatriated from North Vietnam and buried in Arlington National Cemetery in 1999.

Lisa moved back to the Washington, D.C., area to be near her parents and worked as an Executive Assistant in the Pentagon.  She met her second husband Major Richard T. Poore, a single parent of three children; Alice, Richard, and Peggy.  Major Poore was a career United States Marine fighter pilot.  To avoid being a war widow twice, she deferred marriage until after he completed his second combat tour in Vietnam.  

In 1972, Lisa and then Major Richard T. Poore married and combined their families.  In 1990 and after military retirement, they moved to Asheville because of Lisa's love of the arts. 

Lisa served on the Urban Arts Trail committee and helped place the “Flat Iron” statue and others in downtown Asheville.  She was also a long-serving volunteer for Habitat for Humanity.  Her artwork, and her hand-drawn cards were unique and joyfully received on birthdays and holidays.  Her paintings and artwork adorn the homes of family and friends.  Her artistic talents also extended to the outdoors, where she created beautiful and whimsical gardens for herself and her family and friends.  Her yard was often featured on local garden tours.  She made the world a more beautiful place.

As an avid reader, Lisa enjoyed spending time with the members of her book clubs, and later playing cards with friends.  She deeply loved her family, and her passing is a tremendous loss to them and the community. 

Lisa was preceded in death by her second husband, retired United States Marine Colonel Richard T. Poore in 2018.   Her five children survive her: Alice Guay (Roland) of Walkertown, NC; Retired Air Force Colonel Richard T. Poore Jr. (Cheryl) of Mooresville, NC; Carolyn Rice (Michael) of Asheville, NC; Alison Ackerman (David) of Elkin NC; Retired Air Force Major General Peggy Poore of San Antonio, TX; her sister, Letitia Brooks Stallard of Orlando FL; seven grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren with another on the way; and her two beloved nieces and three great nieces.

Lisa will be interred at Arlington National Cemetery with her husband at a later date.  The family would like to thank the nursing staff of Mission Hospital’s MICU, and the caring staff at the CarePartners Solace Center for taking such good care of her.  The family also thanks the Creekside Community for their kind cards, and messages of love.  They all made a significant difference during her last days of life. 

Instead of flowers, donations may be made to Asheville Habitat for Humanity or a charity of your choice.  

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