Dr. Larissa "Aisa" Valera Frias, a popular Western Michigan University faculty member, died suddenly in her sleep June 5. She was 38.

Frias was an assistant professor of family and consumer sciences specializing in family studies. She joined the WMU faculty in 2008, after having begun her career in education as a guidance counselor and then an instructor at the University of the Philippines. Her obituary is here: http://www.wmich.edu/wmu/news/2011/06/026.html