Lisa Niemi Swayze (born May 26, 1956), also known by her stage name, Lisa Niemi, is an American writer, director, actress and dancer. She is the widow of actor, singer, and dancer Patrick Swayze. They were married for 34 years, from 1975 until his death in 2009.

Biography

At the Houston Ballet Dance Company, Niemi met the owner and director's son, Patrick Swayze; the two eventually began dating when she was 15 years old. Niemi and Swayze were married from June 12, 1975 until Swayze's death from pancreatic cancer on September 14, 2009. Shortly after they wed, the couple moved to New York City to pursue their dance careers until the late 1970s, when they relocated to Los Angeles, California. In addition to dancing and filmmaking, they ran a construction business and raised horses together. The Swayzes had no children.

In 1985, Niemi Swayze began living on a 5-acre (20,000 m) homestead near the Angeles National Forest, along with a "menagerie of dogs, prized Arabian horses and rodeo cattle." She also had a 20,000-acre (81 km) ranch in New Mexico.

She is a licensed pilot and flew Swayze to the cancer treatments prior to his death. While filming One Last Dance in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Niemi was made an honorary citizen of the Canadian city. After her husband's death, she became the Chief Ambassador of Hope for Pancreatic Cancer Action Network. In July 2011, she was honored with the title of dame and invested in the Royal Order of Francis I. On December 28, 2013, it was announced that she was engaged to Albert DePrisco, a jeweller. On May 25, 2014, Lisa and Albert were married.