Obituary of Alisa Sergeyevna Mengel

Alisa Sergeyevna Mengel, 47, of Ithaca, NY, passed away on April 20, 2021 from ovarian cancer. Alisa was born on April 1, 1974 to Serge and Tania Coynton in Saint Petersburg, Russia. Starting in 5th grade, Alisa began an English language immersion program that continued through high school. After graduating from Kalinin District Central School No 192 in 1991, she went on to earn a B.A. in Early Childhood Education from the A. I. Gertsen State Pedagogical University in Saint Petersburg in 1996. Later, in America, Alisa earned a Master of Science degree in Early Childhood/Special Education from Touro College, New York (2013) and qualified for a Professional Certificate in Early Childhood/Special Education from the New York State Education Department (2014). In 1996, Alisa landed her first job as a Full Time Instructor teaching English as a Foreign Language to undergraduates at the G.V. Plekhanov State Mining Institute and Technical University, Saint Petersburg, from 1996-98. In 1997, Alisa met Dwight Mengel in Russia, moved to Ithaca and wed in 1998. Their son, Jonathan, was born in 2000. After becoming a naturalized citizen, Alisa sponsored her parents to emigrate to Ithaca. Alisa applied her intelligence and drive to a range of occupations starting with selling traditional Russian handicrafts, being an interpreter, a Pre-K and English-as-a-Second Language teacher, a daycare teacher, a personal tutor for children with disabilities, a substitute teacher for the Ithaca City School District, a contract teacher in two school districts, a real estate salesperson, and working retail in the pandemic year of 2020. Alisa loved summer beach vacations, visiting big cities, dancing, music, painting, writing, fashion, dogs, humor, and friends. She was devoted to her family, especially her son. Alisa is survived by her husband, Dwight Mengel; son, Jonathan Mengel; parents, Tania & Serge Coynton; sister in-laws Claudia Mengel (Dan) and Elizabeth Sanford (Scott); nieces Sarah McCree (Jesse) and Rebecca Allinder (Jimmie); and was predeceased by in-laws Arthur and Betty Mengel, and brother in-law Rev. Craig A. Mengel. The family will receive friends on Saturday, June 19 from 9:15-10:45 AM with a memorial service to follow at 11:00 AM at St. Paul’s United Methodist Church, 409 N. Aurora Street, Ithaca NY. The service will be live streamed at http://stpaulsithaca.org. All State required social distancing guidelines will be followed. Internment will be private. The family thanks the wonderful staff at Cayuga Medical Center who cared for Alisa. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a contribution in Alisa’s name to a charity of your choice.