Elizabeth "Lisa" Brown-Miller

Born on November 16, 1966, Lisa carved a life defined by love, kindness, and deep connection to others. She was a trailblazer in the growth of women’s hockey in the United States and a key member of the U.S. Women’s National Team from 1990–1998. In 1998, “Brownie,” being the oldest on the team, helped lead them to the first-ever gold medal for women’s ice hockey at the Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan — a moment that inspired countless women and young athletes and continues to inspire them today.

After her playing career, Lisa became a passionate coach, dedicated to helping athletes grow on and off the ice. Her warmth, generosity, and leadership left a lasting impression on all who were lucky enough to know her.

Lisa was deeply devoted to her family. She was a steady, loving presence, offering support and encouragement to anyone. Her roles as a parent, wife, daughter, sister, friend, and coach were at the heart of her life.

Above all, Lisa’s love for her children, Alex and Morgan, was unconditional and limitless. She was fiercely devoted to their happiness and well-being, always willing to go to any length to support, protect, and guide them. Whether cheering from the sidelines, offering words of wisdom, or simply being there with a steady hand and open heart, Lisa’s dedication as a mother was one of the truest reflections of her character. The addition of Sonja to her life gave Lisa even more opportunity to do what she did best — love, support, and give 100%.

Lisa’s passing is an enormous loss to her family, friends, teammates, and all whose lives she touched. She will be remembered for her fierce love, grit, and her gift for making everyone feel seen and valued. Lisa moved through life with determination and adventure, but always with an open hand, heart, and mind. She walked beside us, being our kickstand when we needed one, and making each journey the best it could be. May we all strive to walk through life with the same kindness and grace as she did.

She is survived by her wife, Peggy; her children, Alex (Haley), Morgan (Chase), and Sonja (Miles); her father, Robert "Bob" Brown; her siblings, Carlenne (Eric), Darren (Annette), Kathryn, Emily (Tyler), and Lindsay (John); her nieces and nephews, Courtney, Becca, Kierra (Anders), Allysa, Chris, Rylee, Zoey, Jaxson, Estella, Anthony, Maisie, and Theodore; as well as many aunts, uncles, cousins, friends, colleagues, and teammates. She is preceded in death by her mother, Kathryn (Gary) Jean Peters (Weckerly), step-mom Carolyn (Bob) Brown, and nephew Anders (Kierra) Elmblad.

Visitation will be held at the Weaver House at Pine Bend Park on Thursday, May 15, from 3:30 to 7:30 p.m. For directions and details, visit: https://miottawa.org/park-facilities/weaver-house-at-pine-bend-park/

A memorial service will take place at Grace Episcopal Church on Friday, May 16, at 11:00 a.m., with a reception to follow.

For those unable to attend in person, the service will be livestreamed on: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_ryopaCLxR3YW4vL1hMQdw and Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/graceepiscopalholland/

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her honor to the following organizations:

Lisa Brown Miller Memorial Fund — Southside Ice Arena: https://tinyurl.com/LisaBrownMiller

Providence College Women’s Hockey: https://give.providence.edu/ Or by mail to: Providence College Office of Institutional Advancement, 1 Cunningham Square, Providence, RI 02918 (Please note “Women’s Ice Hockey — Lisa Brown-Miller” in the memo line)

Boston University CTE Center: https://www.bu.edu/cte/ (Donation link: https://bit.ly/bu_cte)

West Michigan Wildlife Conservancy: https://www.gofundme.com/f/save-hemlock-trees-in-lisas-memory?attribution_id=sl:41b326ab-f6c9-4109-94a8-cefe13bff7ea&lang=en_US&ts=1746908360&utm_campaign=man_sharesheet_dash&utm_content=amp13_c-amp14_t2-amp15_c&utm_medium=customer&utm_source=copy_link&v=amp14_t2