Lolanda Faye Sirisompund

Lolanda Faye Sirisompund, 75, passed away on November 28, 2025, in Temple Terrace, Florida. She was born on December 6, 1949, in Lebanon, Indiana, to Joseph Fay and Loueva Mae Bowles — whose names she softly called out in her final days, as if she could already feel them welcoming her home.

Lolanda is survived by her devoted husband, Sagol Sirisompund; her loving daughters, Sarawanee Poe, and husband, Shawn, and Lalita Llerena; her cherished grandchildren, Daniella Llerena, Sophia Poe and Logan Llerena; and her sweet siblings, Janet Vickers, Rev. Joseph A. Bowles and Vickie Ruso.

From the very beginning, Lolanda filled every space she entered with the kindest soul and the brightest smile. She was exceptionally intelligent, quick-witted and had a wonderfully mischievous sense of humor. She was always singing or humming — sometimes softly, sometimes belting out the perfect lyrics — because nearly everything in life reminded her of a song. Her children and grandchildren found this endearing, a little funny and so perfectly her.

Her greatest love story began at Hillsborough Community College in Ybor City, where she met her future husband of more than 50 years in an art class. She was the very first person he befriended in America after immigrating from Thailand, and from that moment on, they never lived apart. They were each other’s best friend and life partner. She adored his accent, his mind and Thai culture; the sound of his voice and simply being near him gave her butterflies — right up until the end.

Family was everything to Lolanda. She dropped anything she was doing just to spend time with the people she loved most. She devoted her life to raising her daughters, and later, she helped raise her grandchildren with that same selfless dedication. Diapers, potty training, school pick-ups, homework — she did it all over again, joyfully and without hesitation.

Lolanda found peace and purpose in nature and in every living creature. She loved animals of all kinds and delighted in feeding the neighborhood squirrels, who quickly learned that her yard, and her gentle heart, were always open to them. Every life was precious to her — even the kinds of insects some of us were afraid of, like spiders. She lovingly called them “the true artists of the world,” admiring their delicate webs as masterpieces. Her love for living things was rooted in her childhood. She often shared stories of growing up barefoot on a farm in Indiana — her beloved chickens, her frightening run-in with a rattlesnake and how her Daddy could build absolutely anything.

She poured her heart into crafts, sewing and every form of art she touched. She lovingly designed most of her grandchildren’s birthday invitations and decorations, turning their celebrations into memories they will treasure forever.

Lolanda’s presence felt like sunlight — comforting, bright and impossible to escape in the best way. And for someone who was a lifelong Beatles fan, especially fond of John Lennon, his words capture her love for us perfectly: “Limitless undying love, which shines around me like a million suns.”

She was, and will always be, our brightest light.