Lisa Ann Pluchino (nee Cooley), 68, passed away on April 23, 2026, in Salisbury, Maryland surrounded by family and loved ones. Lisa was born on July 22, 1957 in Groton, Connecticut to a military family, and lived many places over the course of her life.

She spent her childhood traveling cross country with her family. Lisa, her four siblings, and their parents spent many summers camping in the Grand Tetons. They lived from Connecticut, to Ohio, to California, where she fondly reminisced about playing in the orange groves with her Irish twin, Sandy. However, Lisa’s most treasured place forever remained Idaho Falls, Idaho, where the seeds of her entrepreneurial spirit were planted. Not only did she begin babysitting at age eleven there, she also learned to drive by age thirteen, and at one point singlehandedly organized a July 4th parade for the entire neighborhood.

As a teenager, she moved with her family to Gaithersburg, Maryland. Known to be both industrious and smart as a whip with numbers, Lisa worked a variety of jobs throughout her high school days. Gaithersburg High School is also where she met her lifelong best friend, Meredith Scott, who remained extremely close with Lisa until her passing. She graduated high school in 1975 and married her first husband, Tom Brown, with whom she lived in Germany for a time. They also had a child, Amanda Clarice, in 1979.

After moving back to Maryland, Lisa married her second husband, Mike Pluchino, in 1983 and had two children, Nicole Marie in 1984 and Victoria Ann in 1985. In the 90s, Lisa renewed her entrepreneurial spirit when she started two video rental stores in Thurmont and Emmitsburg, Maryland called The Video Nest. During this time in her life, when she wasn’t working, she was spending time with her friends and family, particularly known for hosting her Strawberry Daiquiri Wednesdays and Pool Party Saturdays all summer.

Throughout her life, Lisa faced her many medical challenges head on. She was fierce, resilient, and small, but tough. She loved Little House on the Prairie, the beach, her pets, cardinals, and ladybugs. She was a movie buff, and well-known as one of QVC’s top shoppers.

In her later years, she settled on the Eastern Shore, prioritizing time with her family, who she loved intensely. She considered her grandchildren her pride and joy, and believed no time was more precious than the time she spent with them. She was grateful to live just ten minutes away from her youngest sister, Tina, for the last few years of her life, which gave them the opportunity to share countless cups of morning coffee on Lisa’s back patio.

Lisa was preceded in death by her parents, Ralph Alex “Spade” Cooley and Clarice Mary Cooley. She is survived by her siblings, Karen Cooley, Ralph Cooley, Sandra Longman, and Tina Schrider; her daughters, Amanda Carr, Nicole Dunn, and Victoria Shockley; and her grandchildren, Gavin Shockley, Mason Carr, Mackenzie Carr, Lillian Hammerbacher, Afina Dunn, and Keegan Dunn; and numerous nieces and nephews.

The family will hold a private service to commemorate her life. In lieu of flowers, please send donations in Lisa’s name to the National Kidney Foundation Serving Maryland & Delaware at 11307 York Road #232, Cockeysville, Maryland 21030. To make an online donation, go to support.kidney.org.

Remember me with smiles and laughter, for that is how I will remember you all. If you can only remember me with tears, then don’t remember me at all. - Laura Ingalls Wilder