Educator loved art and travel and brought light to the world Our beautiful, sweet boy has left this earth, and the world is lesser for it. James Brook Lisaius died at home on November 19, 2024, with his parents by his side. After a 15-year battle with anorexia, it became apparent his condition was terminal, and he was placed in hospice care at home for the last three months of his life. Brook was born in Burlington, Vt., the son of Joseph David and Josie Neary Lisaius of Burlington and Montgomery, Vt. He grew up in Burlington spending as much time as he could outdoors. From a very early age, he felt at one with nature and loved to be in it as much as possible. He was full of wonder and joy. He grew up fishing with his dad, and they were often accompanied by their fishing buddy, Rick Provost. Brook loved snowboarding with friends, hiking and mountain biking, but mostly he loved being in the woods and observing and exploring nature. He was an incredibly talented artist who created so many beautiful paintings, wood carvings, sculptures and metal works. His imagination knew no bounds! He travelled extensively with his family. One of Brook’s favorite times of year was spending two weeks in Maine every summer, where he made lifelong friendships. He looked forward to seeing them every year, and they would pick up as though not a minute had gone by. He also had a great time visiting with his cousins — they laughed the entire time. He loved going to the Caribbean each winter as well as a very memorable trip to Lithuania. He also took several cross-country trips with his family, where he explored so many different beautiful areas of the country. It inspired him to go back out west and work in different national parks during the summers of his college years, including Glacier, Zion, Badlands, and Big Bend. He loved the journey as much as the destination — meeting people from all over the country in small, rural areas and always feeling welcomed. Brook graduated from Burlington High School, where he was an honor student and co-captain of the cross-country and tennis teams. He graduated from the University of Vermont, where he was a dean’s list student and a teaching assistant. In the community, he tutored children at King Street Center as well as volunteered at the Chittenden Emergency Food Shelf and the Special…