Elizabeth Clay "Lisa" Pratt

1957 - 2021

PRATT, Ms. Elizabeth "Lisa" Clay, age 63, formerly of Richmond, Va., passed away Saturday, August 7, 2021, after a courageous battle with cancer.

Lisa was a 1976 graduate of St. Catherine's School in Richmond, Va. While at St. Catherine's, she was captain of the White team, she excelled in sports and academics and established friendships that she maintained and cherished throughout her life.

Lisa graduated from Princeton University in 1980 with a degree in Religion and, following in her father's footsteps (Robert Pratt, 1944), was a student-athlete. Many remember Lisa as an outstanding competitor and with good reason. While at Princeton, she played five sports: field hockey, squash, lacrosse, basketball and ran track and field. As a member of the Cap and Gown eating club, Lisa forged many friendships and reveled in her time spent in the "orange bubble." More recently, Lisa could be seen in the stands at Roberts Stadium cheering on her younger daughter, Katie, '18, as she played soccer for the Tigers.

Lisa moved to Southern California in her mid-twenties, where she enjoyed wind-surfing, kayaking, running on the beach and attending many cultural events in Los Angeles. Settling in Long Beach, Lisa was blessed with the birth of her two daughters, Elizabeth and Katherine. Always a dedicated and loving parent, Lisa participated in and supported her daughters' activities, accomplishments and hobbies. She enjoyed spending time with them at Disneyland, the Pratt family farm in Virginia and on trips to Europe. While in Long Beach, after working as a stockbroker, Lisa received her M.B.A. from Pepperdine University in 1984 before becoming President and CEO of Health Research Association. Her natural leadership skills and business acumen also led her to establish several non-profits during her career.

In 2013, Lisa moved to Washington, D.C., where she found great joy in being closer to her family and childhood friends. She began a new position as a Management Analyst and Special Advisor at the Department of Veterans Affairs, while also serving as Deputy Director of the Center for Women Veterans for a period of time. Additionally, Lisa kept the Princeton motto of "in the nation's service and in the service of humanity" very close to heart as a board member of the Princeton Bisexual, Transgender, Gay and Lesbian Alumni Association (BTGALA) and as a mentor to numerous Princeton undergraduates. She was always excited to try new adventures and with her beloved partner, Suni Mackall, she learned filmmaking, joined a master's swim team and became an avid cyclist. At age 59, she was offered a spot on the Senior Women's United States Field Hockey team. Suffice it to say, she never stopped moving!

Lisa was an inspiration to everyone who knew her. Her many athletic and professional achievements were but a small part of her life, for she considered her beloved daughters to be her finest accomplishments.

Lisa was preceded in death by her father, Robert Henry Pratt; and is survived by her mother, Elizabeth Walker Pratt; her daughters, Elizabeth Nels Pratt-Thompson and Katherine Walker Pratt-Thompson; her brothers, David Walker Pratt (Fiona), Robert Henry Pratt Jr. (Jane) and Henry Randolph Pratt (Irina); and her partner, Suzanne Mackall; as well as many nieces, nephews and devoted friends.

A memorial service will be held at Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond, Va. at 12:30 p.m. on August 21, 2021.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a memorial donation to the LGBT Center at Princeton University. Checks should be made payable to "The Trustees of Princeton University" and donors should indicate in the memo line of the check that the gift is in memory of Elizabeth C. Pratt '80. Checks, along with a short note indicating the purpose of the gift, should be sent to Princeton University (line) Alumni and Donor Records (line) Helen Hardy (line) P.O. Box 5357 (line) Princeton, N.J. 08543-5357. The Gift Processing department at the University is aware that gifts coming under this heading are to go to the LGBT Center.