Lesa grew up in Inkom, Idaho, and went to Marsh Valley High School, then studied acting at Idaho State University. Lesa excelled in sports, singing and acting. She loved skiing and horses. She participated in high school rodeo. She went to state rodeo finals in three events: pole bending, breakaway roping and barrel racing. She also played basketball, volleyball and was a cheerleader. In her senior year, she was Miss Marsh Valley, Miss Pocatello and competed in the Miss Idaho contest.

After high school, she moved with her best friend, Troy Smith, to Los Angeles to pursue her acting career. And after some years of trying to break into Hollywood, she changed directions and became a vegan raw food chef, one of the best.

Lesa's last year of life was spent fighting cancer. She finally succumbed, surrounded by family and friends. We will miss her loving smile, her happy personality and will think of her always. May she rest in peace.

Lesa is survived by her mother, Julie Carlson, of Costa Rica; father, Rod Carlson, and his wife, Martha Olson, of Shoshone, Idaho; brothers Brad Carlson (Tami) and Tim Carlson (Suzi), of Oregon; aunts and uncles Fred and Carol Sterling, of Boise, Idaho, Leslie and Dennis Stoddard, and Theresa and Randy Marica, all of Pocatello; and cousins too numerous to mention. Lesa left behind the two loves of her life, her sons Blue and Spain, both of Los Angeles, California.