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C O M M UNIT V
■A
IN MEMORIAM
Lissa Capo
The Collection mourns the loss of our friend and colleague Lissa Capo, who passed away on April 18. Lissa joined the staff in 2010 as a part-time receptionist as she completed her master’s degree in public history at the University of New Orleans. We quickly recognized a kindred spirit in Lissa, who became a full-time collections processor at the Williams Research Center in May 2011. Her new job kept her mostly behind the scenes, where she examined, measured, housed, labeled, and described thousands of objects ranging from New Orleans Saints cufflinks and souvenir
playing cards to Mardi Gras doubloons and ducal decorations.
Lissa’s master’s thesis, completed in May 2011, was titled ‘“Throw Me Something Mister’: The History of Carnival Throws in New Orleans.” Her research followed the evolution of the material culture of Mardi Gras, from the flowers and nuts tossed to onlookers in the antebellum period to the ever more elaborate doubloons and beads of the 20th and 21st centuries. Lissa was clearly fascinated by—and knowledgeable about—the many traditions associated with Mardi Gras in New Orleans, and though she
worked with many different sorts of objects stored in our vaults, she clearly relished the opportunity to work hands-on with the many important Carnival-related collections.
“I quickly learned that Lissa was not only a charming person, but her knowledge of New Orleans Carnival—its art. traditions, and history—and New Orleans history in general went beyond her job," said Srtiior Curator/Historian John T. Magill. who worked with Lissa on The ColW^tioo t Carnival-related holdings. “if i paivton, which she had every intention of enhancing with time and study. Sadly, with her fussing these dreams can never be —aliped, and it is a loss not only to The Coltxiion bw to :He community as a whole."
Lissa also cultivated a grwinj: cipcrtiic in film memorabilia. Associate	of
the Williams Research Ccrrsr liue supervised Lissa’s work or torrrui tie*:options of movie posters, lobbv cardv ttudio still publicity photographs, prru book*, and film scripts, among nctm. *Lit?a brought a huge amount ot enthuvuun to every project she worked on.' 'X~«e»e ujd “You could tell that she was ddichtcd to be here, working hands-on with our collections—learning about them. ! think the recognized both the responsibii.tv and privilege we have as caretakers. It > a bn of a cliche to say that someone loved her (o*». but Lissa clearly did.”
“Lissa was passionate about everything she touched and would go over and beyond to complete any task,” according to her colleague and close friend Jennifer Navarre, reference associate at the WRC. “She lived life, argued her point, and never backed down for any situation—determined and strong-willed. I loved her for that passion and will miss her every day.” —THNOC STAFF
i8 The Historic New Orleans Collection Quarterly