Lea Ann Strain

Lea Ann Strain, 46, of Austin, Texas is rejoicing with Jesus today after a long battle with cancer. Lea Ann is survived by her best friend and spouse, Rhonda Koneski; her mother, Virginia Strain; her father, Douglas Strain (Connie); her brother, Mark Strain (Jennifer); two half-sisters, Kamela (Larimie) Gunn and Carlet Strain; fur-babies, Bart, Oliver, Benji, Kloey and Gabby. She is survived by loving in-laws, aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews and a host of long-time friends.

Lea Ann loved life to its fullest! She had a way of making everyone laugh. Lea served her community through mission opportunities and loved the Lord. While cancer took her body, it did not take her soul. Her battle cry was Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ, who gives me strength.”

The family will receive friends from 6:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M., Thursday, October 22, 2015, at Cook-Walden/Forest Oaks Funeral Home. A Celebration of Lea Ann’s life will be at 3:30 P.M., Friday, October 23, 2015, in the Chapel of Cook-Walden/Forest Oaks Funeral Home with Ron Koneski officiating.

In lieu of flowers, please donate to The Breast Cancer Resource Centers of Texas, P.O. Box 300040, Austin, Texas, 78703, www.bcrc.org in Lea Ann's memory. While she will be missed by many, she suffers no more.

Honoring Lea Ann as pallbearers will be Mark Strain, Jami Strain, John Johnson, Kurt Scheibelhut, Brandon Miles, Michael Ruschmeyer, Brian McKalip, and Ron Koneski.

Eulogy from the Service on 10/23/15:

Before we begin, out of respect for the family, please check your cell phones and put them on silent or vibrate. Thank you!

For those of you who don’t know me, I am Ron Koneski, Rhonda’s brother. I would like to express my sincere gratitude on behalf of the family for everyone who is here today celebrating the life of Lea Ann Strain. Lea Ann was a lot of things to a lot of people – sister, daughter, spouse, co-worker, survivor, fighter; but most of all she was a friend. Lea Ann was an awesome person, wasn’t she?

It is quite an honor to be here today to celebrate the life of Lea Ann Strain. I hope that my words today can bring some comfort.

I would like to open with a word of prayer.

Prayer

Her strength during her battle with cancer has amazed me and everyone that knows her. She never complained, she took everything in stride, and always had a positive attitude. Lea Ann’s spirit is embodied in her favorite passage from Scripture – “I can do everything through him who gives me strength” – Phillipians 4:13. This strength was evident during her decade long battle with cancer. While the disease eventually did claim her, this spirit endured and is looking down on us from above today.

“My Chains are gone”

I have known Lea Ann for most of my adult life. We first met at Little Ceaser’s pizza when I was a teenager. She had a sense of humor that I found hilarious and we used to joke about our boss – who doesn’t joke about their boss? Then – she became a boss at Pizza Hut! I worked there with her as a pizza driver. I told my sister Rhonda how much money I made as a pizza driver and that she should try it. So she did, and it was here Rhonda and Lea Ann met. I had no idea how this chance meeting would transform their lives and integrate our two families together.

I have many fond memories of my interactions with the Strain family. Mark and I travelled to Europe together. Rhonda, Mark, Lea Ann, and I had a very memorable trip to New York City and Washington D.C. It was there Mark realized the theatre wasn’t that bad after all. We spent many holidays with Virginia, sharing meals and gifts. I am grateful to Virginia for raising two awesome kids.

Over the years, Lea Ann has become a sister to me. I watched Lea Ann grow into the woman she became; strong, confidant, caring, loving, and compassionate. I watched her and Rhonda’s relationship blossom. They were very happy together. One thing I did appreciate about her was how she would not put up with Rhonda’s type A personality at times. When Lea was sick at the end, some of her most lucid moments were telling Rhonda to back off. In fact Lea Ann called Rhonda “Captain Koneski” and Rhonda called Lea Ann “Sergeant Strain”. I don’t know how we are going to keep Rhonda under control!

Lea Ann did love a lot. She loved her friends. She loved her nieces and nephews- to the Strains she was Auntie Lea, to the Koneski’s she was Auntie Leannie. She loved her family. She loved her pets. She loved God. But most of all she loved Rhonda. As her brother, I really appreciated how she treated her and how much they cared for one another. They built a great life together. They laughed a lot. Lea Ann became a Buffalo Bills fan and a Texas Ranger fan. Actually, she fell in love with sports because Rhonda loved sports. I wonder if this can rub off on my wife…Rhonda and Lea took good care of each other and loved much. I would like to read from 1st Corinthians 13, known as the Love chapter…

4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always PROTECTS , always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. 11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. 12 For now we see only a reflection as in a MIRROR ; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

“Wind beneath my Wings”-Bette Midler

I would like to take this time to share a few thoughts from Rhonda and Mark.

My sister Lea Ann believed that anything was possible. I know exactly where she got this strong conviction, after all she was a Strain! Though life threw her some curve balls, she always seemed well up to the task of meeting those challenges, and the ones she set for herself.Though she was always an expressive and loving person, I’m sure that I wasn’t the only one who was surprised by her devotion to her work and success in life.

And so, It came as that much more of a shock when we learned of her illness. Always the fighter; strong; courageous woman; we had every confidence that she would soundly defeat the cancer that threatened her. We knew that she had so much more to give, to teach, to share, that it just had to come out OK.

Somehow it didn’t. Still, looking out at the many lives she touched and remembering all the causes she championed and contributed to; I know that she has achieved what she set out to. Anything is possible. She proved that to us all. She set an example of courage, hope and compassion that inspired everyone who knew her. God Speed, Lea Ann – Heaven only knows what’s in store for you next

- I could not have said it better Mark. Thank you.

From Rhonda:

I remember the first day I met Lea Ann at pizza hut. Immediately I knew we would be friends. Little did I know how our relationship would evolve. It was after that trip Mark, Lea Ann and I took to Florida in 1993 that we knew we were destined to be together forever. On October 16, 1993 we made our relationship official. I also remember that day we got the approval on our house back in 1997, it was as if our life together was now complete. We added pets throughout the years and continued to grow together. It was devastating when we got the news of her cancer diagnosis in 2003, but Lea Ann went into stealth mode, she was fighting this thing. After surgery, chemo and radiation she was cancer free, but it is really never the end of it. Year after year, we both worried it could come back, but after five years they considered her cured and we were both so happy. However that was short-lived. In August of 2013, the cancer was back and now it had spread to her lungs and liver. I honestly don’t think Lea Ann even cried; she just said she was going to fight this thing and fight she did. Lea Ann was the strongest woman I have ever known, but cancer was not who she was. She was a compassionate and generous human being. She volunteered in the nursing homes (she just loved talking and caring for the elderly), served in Joplin after the F5 tornado and helped in Bastrop after the fires. Her smile could light up any room and her sense of humor made everyone laugh. I am so glad we were able to complete our dream of getting married. As my sister-in-law put it, “a wedding and a birthday in Heaven, what an amazing 24 hours.” While she may have left this earth, she will never leave my heart!

“The Dance” – Garth Brooks

At the service last night, I was reminded how bright Lea Ann’s smile was. I am sure that she is smiling at us all today. While we are all grieving her loss today, she will forever be in our hearts.

There will be a small reception/dinner at Rhonda and Lea Ann’s home for additional sharing of thoughts regarding Lea. At this time, we will begin paying final respects for our loved one, Lea Ann. Afterword, we will form a procession to the gravesite for a short service. Before we begin, let me close with a word of prayer.

Closing prayer

Walk by while playing “There will be a day” – Jeremy Camp