Blog

It is with a heavy heart that I write this. 

On July 4th in the early morning hours Lisa Mann, a longtime friend, employee, and someone we considered a part of our family, passed away. Lisa suffered from a rare condition that develops in the brain when a person is still in utero. This condition caused a mass to form in her brain which hemorrhaged resulting in severe brain damage and ultimately put Lisa into a coma. Despite the best efforts of the doctors at the Cleveland Clinic Akron General, Lisa was not able to be saved and never regained consciousness.  

I have known Lisa since we were about 14 years old. She sat directly in front of me in homeroom throughout high school. For almost half of my life my mornings have started with saying hello to Lisa, cracking a joke, and getting ready for whatever the day had in store. After graduation Lisa worked at our first coffee company starting back in the summer of 1994. When we started our second company Caruso’s Coffee in 2003, Lisa approached us for a job and we were all too happy to bring her on board. Lisa knew our business inside and out. Over the years she did everything from production to making deliveries to outside and inside sales, before ultimately settling into her most recent role as logistics manager.

Lisa had an unbelievable spirit and generous heart. She above all loved her two girls Alexys and Allyssa and husband Mike. Lisa was full of life. She was tough and strong-willed, a hard worker, and always tried to do her best. Lisa will be missed every day, stepping into the office every morning just won’t be the same for a long time, if ever.

Caruso’s Coffee is setting up an account for each of Lisa’s daughters to go toward their college education. We are committed to putting a minimum of $2,000.00 into each account annually until they turn 21. When they turn 18 they can access that money for education related expenses and at 21, whatever is in the accounts at that time is theirs to use at their discretion. Lisa loved her girls with all her heart and we felt doing something to benefit them and their future was the best way to honor her legacy. If you would like to contribute funds for the girls, you can email my brother Michael Caruso or Gayle Bragg for details on how to do that. 

Thank you to the many customers, vendors, and friends of the company for your thoughts of sympathy during this sad time. Lisa cannot be replaced, she was a one of a kind. She will live on in our hearts and prayers. 

- Dominic Caruso