Lisa Manting Fu

In Memory of Lisa Manting Fu

Lisa Manting Fu passed away peacefully at home on May 10, 2023.  Family and friends were by her side as she joined her father in the skies above.  She was 48 years old.

She is survived by her husband of 13 years, Christopher Lee; her daughter, Mackenzie Lee; her mother, Fung Yi; and brother and sisters, Peter, Michelle, Lilly, and Anna.

A viewing will be held at Wah Wing Sang Funeral Home on Tuesday, May 23rd at 26 Mulberry Street from 9am – 12pm, followed by a private cremation for the family.

In lieu of flowers, contributions to the GoFundMe setup for her daughter’s benefit are welcome as an expression of sympathy (https://gofund.me/be236c21).

Manting was born in 1975 in Hong Kong, China, and although the family immigrated to the U.S. in 1979, she always felt an affinity to her city of birth.  However, growing up in her formative years on the Lower East Side of New York City, Lisa fully embraced and fell in love with the arts, culture, diversity, and hip hop.  Seeing firsthand the ills and inequalities exacerbated by poverty, Lisa also became a lifelong, staunch advocate for human rights and socioeconomic justice.

From deeply thoughtful teenage poetry to large, colorful murals in college, to becoming a design master as an adult, Lisa was always a creative genius.  She built several businesses to suit her various stages of inspiration – Platinum Touch for special projects and events; Pretty Stationery for Beautiful Souls for designer cards and wedding invites; Joyful Hearts for culturally inspired teas and beverages; and NY Gift Wrapping for luxury presentations catering to high end brands and Hollywood’s elite.  Lisa poured her heart and soul into her creations, meticulously planning and customizing each product and project to the delight of her various clients.  Her work won many industry accolades including Best of the Knots Wedding Awards 2015 & 2017; the Wedding Wire 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 & 2015 Choice Award for Excellence; 2019 LOUIE Awards Card of the Year from the Greeting Card Association; Top Honors in the Bridal Category 2011 Stationery Trends Award, as well as featured in numerous publications, television shows, and media.  Most recently, Lisa was interviewed as an authoritative voice for the NY Times, advising readers how to be resourceful wrapping holiday gifts and making them gorgeous.

Still, Lisa Manting’s finest creation was her daughter Mackenzie Lee.  Mackenzie was her greatest pride and joy.  Lisa loved teaching Kenzie all about the world around her and the significance of learning, history, and culture.  Lisa enjoyed instilling strength and confidence by encouraging the overcoming of challenges, big and small.  She used her creativity to design environments that were colorful, fun, beautiful, and meaningful to the joy of those around her.  Holidays offered another avenue of expression, whether it be decorating spaces with celebratory pieces or offering delectable new culinary experiments.  She often brought glee to family and friends, editing photos into fantastical and hilarious pieces using her wit, talent and expert Photoshop skills.  Lisa’s wry sense of humor, and reserved, but poignant and timely, sometimes cutting remarks, were well-received and appreciated.

Lisa enjoyed travel and combined it with her love for running, going on ‘race-cations’ with an army of friends she made across the country.  She had a goal of completing marathons in every state, and had ran marathons in 20 states already, plus 5 NYC Marathons and 1 in Germany.  Her inner fortitude gave her the strength and drive to “embrace the suck”, as she called it, and enjoy the hundreds of miles in her racing journey, and life as well in general.

Lisa’s friendship, wisdom, love, creativity and good company will be forever remembered, cherished, and sorely missed, by all who were fortunate enough to know her >3.