In Loving Memory: Dr. Lisa Litteral

It was with great sorrow that the Beaumont community learned of the passing of Dr. Lisa Litteral on December 9, 2021. Dr. Litteral, a Beaumont treasure, served our community for 26 years. She was an incredibly accomplished educator, musician, vocalist, and director. She loved all things Beaumont, from the atmosphere of the campus, to the friendships she forged, to the students she taught for many years.

As we grieved her loss, Sister Cheryl Mentkowski, OSU shared these comforting words, “With great sorrow, we remember the life of our friend and teacher, Dr. Lisa Litteral. Whenever someone good, kind, and gifted dies before their time, we ask why. Why would God take such a good woman, who gave so much, taught so well, and loved her family, her friends and her students, be taken? Maybe that is the answer. Dr. Litteral was a positive force for good in the world. She was a teacher of music, of grace and of harmony. These are precisely the blessings which the world needs today. How better for the Lord to show us what is needed than to draw our attention to all the good which can still be accomplished in her name. The message of this heart-breaking loss is that we need to follow her example; to endure hardships, overcome setbacks, to pursue excellence and beauty and to set high standards for ourselves. The lesson which this amazing teacher leaves with us is to do as she did.”

In her honor, Kate Bernardo and the Beaumont Drama Club, presented a musical review paying tribute to Dr. Litteral, titled “Litteral-ly: A Life in Music”. It featured selected songs from the 17 musical productions for which she served as music director and included students currently in Voices of Harmony, Choristers, Jazz Ensemble, and her ukulele classes.

Dr. Lisa Litteral will be missed by all!

Dedication by Lillian Irizarry ’22, student of Dr. Litteral

Under Dr. Litteral’s steady, guiding hand, my fellow musicians and I performed to the best of our abilities. With every piece, I always noticed something: she never once bowed. After lowering her arms and releasing the audience from the awe-filled stupor they were in— she had a way of commanding such attention—Dr. L would always turn and proudly motion back to us as if to say, “Aren’t they great?!” She truly poured her whole heart into every single moment she spent with us. I will forever be grateful that I had the pleasure of knowing and loving Dr. Litteral.

There was something so genuine and pure about her love for music. You could hear the excitement in her voice as she rambled on about solfege or chord progressions—she never tired of it. Despite being absolutely swamped with work, concerts, and lessons, she would always walk around with a smile on her face. Whenever I asked her why she took on so much, Dr. Litteral would just chuckle and say “Well, it’s worth it. Isn’t it?”.

Original Article From: https://www.beaumontschool.org/news/2022/05/31/beaumont-news-spring-2022-the-heart-of-beaumont-campaign