Lisa Ann Zarda 

February 10, 1958 – June 4, 2026

It is with profound sadness and immense love that we announce the passing of Lisa Ann Zarda, born Lisa Ann Pflumm, who left this world on Thursday, June 4, 2026, surrounded by the love of her family after a courageous battle with pancreatic cancer. She passed peacefully, leaving behind a legacy of unconditional love, quiet strength, and a devotion to family that touched everyone fortunate enough to know her.

Lisa was born on February 10, 1958, in Kansas City, Missouri, to Frederick Arthur Pflumm and Norma Jean VanDeBerghe. She was raised in Shawnee, Kansas, where she grew up, put down roots, and built a life of purpose and warmth. Throughout her life, she embodied strength, resilience, kindness, and unwavering devotion to those she loved. To know Lisa was to know a woman whose heart was always open, whose friendship was genuine, and whose love for her family knew no limits.

Lisa graduated from St. Joseph Catholic High School in Shawnee in 1976, continuing many of the relationships from her childhood throughout her entire life. She especially adored her father, Fred Pflumm, whose lessons and aura stayed with her long after his unexpected passing in 1999. True to her roots and his memory, she carried forward Fred Pflumm Plumbing in Shawnee, Kansas, a business that reflected her father’s values, her loyalty to her family, and her deep ties to the community she called home.

In her later years, she traveled many places with her family. She loved trips with her sisters, especially to the Cayman Islands, but she found a second home along the sparkling shores of Panama City Beach, Florida, where she lived in her condo at Regency Towers overlooking the Gulf of America. There was nowhere she was more at peace than on her balcony at the end of the day, watching the sun melt into the Gulf in a blaze of color. Those sunsets, she once said, never got old, often enjoyed on the phone with one of her sisters or friends.

Regency Towers became far more than an address to Lisa. It became a community. Over the years, she forged genuine, lasting friendships with fellow owners who came from all corners of the United States and Canada, turning a beach condo building full of neighbors into something much more like family. One of her favorite ways to bring people together was leading water aerobics classes in the pool, something she threw herself into with characteristic enthusiasm. To her, those sessions were far more about camaraderie and connection than exercise. Those who attended every session knew they had found something rare in her, someone who made wherever she was feel a little warmer.

Lisa was also, without question, a pillar for her entire family. Whenever someone she loved needed help, truly needed it, Lisa was there. Even the four-legged members of the family had a place in her heart. She had a soft spot for P-Trap, the beloved dog of her son TJ, who was always happy to receive her affection.

But nothing, not even the most breathtaking Florida sunset, brought Lisa more joy than her grandchildren. Above all else, she was a devoted mother and grandmother. Her greatest joy in life was her grandchildren. She poured endless love, wisdom, encouragement, and support into her children and grandchildren, who were the center of her world. She was the kind of grandmother who showed up completely.

Lisa never missed a curtain call for Laurel’s theatrical performances, beaming with pride that radiated from her seat. She treasured their time together and loved her Spring Break visits to the beach. Watching Laurel grow truly filled her heart. As Laurel steps into her senior year of high school, Lisa saw in her a wonderful woman in the making, a young woman whose potential already exceeded even a grandmother’s proudest dreams.

With Norah, she cheered with her whole heart at every aerial and dance performance, marveling at the grace and fire of the little girl she adored. But the magic wasn’t only on the stage. Some of Lisa’s most treasured moments with Norah were the simple ones, hours spent together at the pool or cooking in the kitchen, side by side, sharing the kind of conversations only a grandmother and granddaughter can have, where Norah would talk (a lot) and Lisa would listen, and neither of them wanted it to end. Her innocent, bubbly personality always made Lisa smile and brought her joy and laughter during some of her toughest moments.

And Nolan? Lisa would drop everything to join him on a game or a spontaneous adventure. When he needed her most during a major heart surgery, she was there in an instant, the whole time. She understood Nolan in a way few others could, sharing a special bond where they could simply be together and do anything. From swimming in the pool for hours together to visiting every war museum Nolan could find, she loved every minute of it. Being present for her grandchildren mattered more than anything else on her schedule. The bond she shared with all of them was extraordinary, and her absence will leave a space that can never truly be filled.

In her final chapter, Lisa faced pancreatic cancer with remarkable courage and grace. Despite the challenges placed before her, she continued to show strength, determination, and love for those around her. Her perseverance inspired everyone who walked beside her on this difficult journey. She fought with dignity and incredible bravery, never allowing her illness to define the beautiful life she lived.

She is survived by her three children: Timothy J. (TJ) Zarda, Leigh Carr (Dustin), and Leslie Zarda (Marcus Green); and her beloved grandchildren: Laurel Zarda (18), Nolan Carr (12), and Norah Carr (10). She is also survived by her sisters, Debbie Adams (Dan), Jane Nesemeyer (Ron), and Nancy Robinson (Jeff); many nieces, nephews, great-nieces, and great-nephews; and a large and beloved extended family throughout the Shawnee, Kansas, area.

While our hearts are broken, we take comfort in knowing that her suffering has ended and that the love she gave so freely remains with us forever. Her legacy lives on in her children, her grandchildren, her friends, and all those fortunate enough to have known her. She will be deeply missed, forever loved, and never forgotten.

*"Those we love don’t go away; they walk beside us every day. Unseen, unheard, but always near

Family and friends are invited to join us for a Celebration of Life on Tuesday, June 23, 2026, from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at St. Joseph Catholic Church. A Rosary will be prayed at 3:00 p.m. We welcome all who knew and loved Lisa to gather in prayer, remembrance, and thanksgiving for a life so beautifully lived.