A Celebration of Life service will be held at 1:00pm on Monday November 18, 2019, at Community Presbyterian Church, Ventura, with the Rev. Dr. Mark Patterson officiating. A reception will be held in the Fellowship Hall following the service.
Chelsea was born Beverlee Ruth Lishman, in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada, as half of a pair of beautiful twin girls, on September 28, 1949, to Jack and Ruth Lishman. Chelsea immigrated to the United States as a toddler with her family. They moved around the Great Lakes region, and her family finally settled in the San Fernando Valley in 1963. Chelsea and her twin sister graduated from Reseda High School in 1967. In 1970, she received a Bachelor’s Degree in History from San Fernando Valley State College (now Cal State Northridge).
Chelsea married Eugene Werth in 1970. They relocated to Oregon, where Chelsea gave birth to their son, Justin, in 1974. Chelsea and Gene later divorced. After Oregon, Chelsea and Justin lived for a while in Lake Tahoe, prior to returning to Southern California in 1983.
As a single mother, Chelsea was fiercely independent and determined to raise Justin and succeed in a career. In 1986, she bought a house on her own in Ventura she fondly called the “Jordan” house; she and Justin now had a permanent home. Chelsea received her teaching credential from UCSB and a Master’s Degree from Azusa Pacific University in 1988. In these challenging years she received strong support and love from her brother Brian and his family.
Chelsea taught fifth grade for many years at Saticoy Elementary School in Ventura. She loved teaching and the ability to impact and shape young minds. Her students thrived in her classroom. Returning to live in Ventura years later, she often ran into students, now successful in their lives, who remembered in vivid detail their year in her class, what they learned, and the fun they had! Later, she touched the lives of students as an elementary school teacher in Panama and Florida.
In 1990, Chelsea met David Fleisch, a career Naval Officer, who was also divorced and had a young daughter, Laura. When they met, they both made statements about never getting married again, yet they fell deeply in love and were married in 1992. Because of Dave’s Navy career, in their 27 ½ years of marriage they had quite an adventure, traveling to many places, moving nine times between 1992 and 2009 and living in Ventura, Rhode Island, Virginia, The Republic of Panama, South Florida, San Diego, Port Hueneme, Hawaii, and finally Ventura, again where they settled when Dave retired from the Navy.
In 2002, while Dave was deployed as a Seabee Battalion Commanding Officer, preparing for expected wartime operations, Chelsea was suddenly hospitalized for 6 months with a bacterial abscess on her spine that left her paralyzed. While Justin was visiting her daily, he found his profession and passion becoming interested in the work the respiratory therapists were doing with his Mom. Today, Justin works as a respiratory therapist with neonatal and pediatric patients.
Being the strong-willed independent woman she was, and never losing her sparkling personality and enthusiastic smile, Chelsea worked hard through various therapies and her own training regimen to regain significant mobility and independence. She thrived in this new “normal” especially when she received a motorized wheelchair and an adapted van that allowed her to drive herself wherever she wanted to go – which frequently was shopping!
Since 2009, even with the disability, Chelsea and Dave were able to travel, including trips to Georgia, Oklahoma, Las Vegas, Monterey, San Francisco, San Diego, Palm Springs, and even a Mexican Riviera cruise.
As an identical twin, Chelsea always had a close confidant in her sister, Lavender. In addition, she had several close friends throughout her life and they were there for each other. Some were with her in the last weeks of her life showing their love and compassion. Chelsea and Dave were also fortunate to have the support of Kathy Price, Chelsea’s caregiver for much of the last 6 years. Her care, love, and patience are true testimony to her abilities as a caregiver and her devotion to Chelsea.
Chelsea is survived by her husband, David; her son Justin Werth, his wife Sandra and grandson Jack Werth of Ventura, CA; her step-daughter Laura Fleisch Hooton and her husband Douglas of Beacon, NY; her mother Ruth Lishman of Goleta, CA; her twin sister Lavender Foot and her husband Ron of Divide, CO; her brother John Brian Lishman and his wife, Lynette of Goleta, CA; nieces and nephews, great and great-grand nieces and nephews and a host of wonderful friends throughout the country.
Chelsea was preceded in death by her father Jack, and her brother David.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to: Community Presbyterian Church, 1555 Poli St, Ventura, CA 93001 or Assisted Home Health & Hospice Foundation, 72 Moody Ct. Suite 100, Thousand Oaks, CA 91360.
Arrangements are under the direction of the Ted Mayr Funeral Home, 3150 Loma Vista Road, Ventura, CA 93003. Condolences may be sent to TedMayrFuneralHome.com.
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