Lt. Col. Lisa Marie Helms Guba

Lisa Marie Helms Guba, Lt. Col USAF retired, 60, passed away April 25^th at Johns Hopkins Hospital Baltimore surrounded by her husband and dear friends after a month-long battle with acute respiratory distress syndrome. Born on November 24, 1962, in Sioux City IA, Lisa spent her formative years in Lake Oswego, OR. Enlisting in the Army Reserve at age 17, she qualified as a medic before pursuing a college degree in nursing at University of Oregon.  Transferring to Carroll College in Montana and earning a degree in nursing, she received an Army officer commission. Serving from 1986 to 1990 at Letterman Army Medical Center in San Francisco, Lisa also deployed for six months to the jungles of Honduras. Leaving active duty, she served in the California Army National Guard while working as a school nurse and attending graduate school at California State University, Sacramento. Later accepting an Air Force commission in 1992 she rejoined active duty and was assigned to Wilford Hall Medical Center in San Antonio Texas where she deployed to the Turk Islands and Cuba during the refugee crisis of 1994.  A rated flight nurse, Lisa was instrumental in the Air Force development of Critical Care Air Transport Teams (CCAT). Her final military assignment was as commander of the Aerostaging Facility at Andrews Air Force Base coordinating the medical care of troops evacuated from Iraq and Afghanistan.

After military retirement in 2008, Lisa joined the Anne Arundel County Health Department as a Perinatal nurse. Lisa was an active volunteer with the Severn River Association, Coast Guard Auxiliary, Coast Guard Academy Parents Association, the Byzantine Catholic Church, Boy Scout Troop 450, and numerous medical and governmental boards. An avid snow skier and power boating enthusiast, Lisa was always happiest having adventures with family and friends in the great outdoors. 

Lisa is predeceased by her parents Dean and Betty Lou Helms of Lake Oswego, OR.

Lisa is survived by her devoted husband of 25 years CDR Richard Guba USNR (ret), her son Cadet Theodore Guba USCGA, her sister Michelle Murray (Phil), niece Corrine Murray, nephews Gaelen and Kincaid Murray, and lastly her beloved domestic short hair cat, Mew.  

The family will receive visitors on May 3^rd from 2-5PM at Ambrose Funeral Home (1328 Sulphur Spring Road, Halethorpe, MD  21227).

A Christian funeral liturgy will be held at Patronage of the Mother of God Byzantine Catholic Church (1260 Stevens Avenue, Halethorpe, MD 21227) Wednesday May 3^rd at 6:30 PM.

Burial with full military honors at 10:00 AM on May 4^th at Garrison Forest Veterans Cemetery in Owings Mills MD.  

Memorial Donations in lieu of flowers are suggested to:

https://teamtelomere.networkforgood.com/projects/192608-in-honor-of-lisa-helms-guba