In Memory

Louise Love

This is Louise Love's husband writing to you.

It’s with a heavy heart that I tell you Louise died Saturday, November 6.

November 10 would have been our 44th wedding anniversary.

Her health issues related to her lung disease had become increasingly challenging for her these past two years particularly the last few weeks of her life, nothing related to covid. She chose to go into hospice on Friday, November 5, and go off of her 24/7 oxygen support on the morning of November 6. 

Louise got what she hoped for.  It was a reasonably quick, pain-free and anxiety-free experience for her.

She knew it was time.  I think I did, too.  I just did not want it to be so.

There is no memorial or funeral.  Louise has donated her body to medical research.

She had no request for donations… just do something nice for someone.

 

Sincerely,

Ernie Love (I took her name years ago) ernielove@icloud.com

 

‘She went out of her way to make others comfortable’: Columbia community remembers former interim Provost Louise Love

By Olivia Cohen, Staff Reporter
November 15, 2021

Ryan Brumback

Former interim Provost Louise Love, who was held in high regard for her kindness, work ethic and dedication to Columbia students and staff, died peacefully due to lung insufficiency on Nov. 6 surrounded by her family, according to her husband, Ernie Love. She was 77.

Love held various positions while working in Columbia’s provost office, starting in 2006. 

According to an email from the Office of the President, Love joined Columbia in the summer of 2006 as deputy provost and was appointed to the position of vice president of Academic Affairs in October 2007. In June 2011, she stepped in as interim provost until retiring from the college in July 2014.

Before coming to Columbia in 2006, Love worked as the senior associate provost at Roosevelt University and held the position of vice dean of students at Northwestern University, which is also where she earned her doctorate degree in philosophy and English literature.

Love touched many lives over the course of the eight years she worked at Columbia.

Andrew Whatley, senior director of Enrollment Marketing Communications, worked with Love and experienced her kindness firsthand. ‘

“I have worked very closely with Louise, and she was a mentor; she was a friend. She was just a delightful person to work with,” Whatley said. “Anyone who worked for her would tell you that. My professional habits that I have to this day, I credit to Louise Love.”

Whatley went on to credit Love for “not sweating the small stuff” and keeping things in perspective. 

“I think it’s just very telling that Louise’s wishes were to not have a big fuss made over her,” Whatley said. “I have no doubt that Louise Love lived a tremendous life, and I was only privy to a small portion of what that life was, but the portion I got to see was an amazing human being. … Even now in her death, her wish was for people to not make it about her.” 

In lieu of charitable donations, Love requested those who want to remember her do a kind act for another person. 

Love’s selflessness was not only apparent in her professional life, but it was a fundamental aspect of her personal life, as well, according to her husband, Ernie.

“The entire time we were married, 44 years, there was never any ego involved in anything she did. She didn’t aspire to any of the positions that she was chosen for, she was asked to do it,” he said. “She was an amazing administrator. … It was never about her, never.”

Ernie Love also taught the former “First-Year Semester” course at Columbia. 

Ivan Brunetti, associate professor of illustration in the Design Department, said Love left an undeniable impression on his life.

“I was very saddened to hear the news of Louise’s passing. I often think about how important she was in my life,” Brunetti said in an email to the Chronicle. “Louise is the reason I am a teacher here at Columbia. … In retrospect, she really took a gamble on me. Actually, she believed in me far more than I believed in me.”

Pegeen Quinn, associate provost for Academic Personnel, also kept a professional and personal relationship with Love.

“Louise had a very real dedication to Columbia, a real love for the college,” Quinn said. “In the eight years that she worked here, she always looked for ways to empower and provide opportunities for her staff.”

Quinn said Love will be remembered as an administrator who went above and beyond to bond with Columbia students by going to the college’s early convocation event and offering to meet with them one-on-one over lunch.

Love made a point to be involved with Columbia’s campus as much as possible, attending plays, recitals and other events on campus with her husband, Ernie, Quinn said.

“[Love] was a wonderful mentor,” Quinn said. “She was a thoughtful and approachable leader.”

Quinn said during her time as interim provost, Love would pick up flowers weekly for the office and put pillows on the chairs of the office’s conference room to make the staff feel more at home.

When Love served as deputy provost, she worked closely with Len Strazewski, retired associate professor emeritus, during the period when he served as interim associate provost. Strazewski said he remembers Love as being meticulous, well-organized and thoughtful.

“We worked well together. … She was a very sweet person,” Strazewski said. “She really liked people; she really liked Columbia, and the Columbia faculty and I enjoyed working with her.”

Aside from her extensive work at Columbia and other universities in the Chicagoland area, Love published a cookbook, “The Complete Book of Pizza.” 

Love was responsible for many accomplishments while at Columbia, including advancing the college’s student transfer system. According to Quinn, Love was “instrumental” in lifting the college’s ban on articulation agreements, which made Columbia a more transfer-friendly school.

Within the provost’s office, Love is remembered for helping implement the process of faculty rankings, leading the college’s Higher Learning Commission Self Study and working as the liaison for the part-time faculty union, Quinn said.

“It was a joy just to be around her. … [Love] went out of her way to make everyone feel comfortable and valued in the provost office,” Whatley said.

In addition to her husband, Love is survived by daughters, Mary and Sarah; and her granddaughters, Alex and Ella.



 
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12/12/21 03:50 PM #11    

Debbie Sanner (Berger)

I am so sorry to hear of Lulu's passing.  Sending love to her family.


12/12/21 03:50 PM #12    

Debbie Sanner (Berger)

I am so sorry to hear of Lulu's passing.  Sending love to her family.


12/12/21 08:12 PM #13    

Jackie Petrulio (Adams)

Lulu was an extrodinary and accomplised person. Many years ago in Evanston Illinois

Marcia Rutan, Lulu and I met for dinner. Life and limited time get in the way of

a lot that would be good to do --- we nver saw each other after that which is so sad.

My condolences go out to her family and friends. Please go to the Colubia Chronical

 for her obituary, November 15, 2021 by Olivia Cohen.    Jackie Petrulio Adams  


12/12/21 10:28 PM #14    

Elaine Johnson (Fiveland)

Here is a tribute to her from Columbia College where she worked.  

https://columbiachronicle.com/she-went-out-of-her-way-to-make-others-comfortable-columbia-community-remembers-former-interim-provost-louise-love


12/13/21 10:33 PM #15    

Andy Johnson (Perham)

So sorry to hear that Lulu has died. She was so lovely and so intelligent.


12/15/21 12:58 PM #16    

Wayne Hansen

I only knew Louise for the three years at Montclair High School. And not very well then but as a classmate. However I do remember her smile, gentle disposition, and was well liked by all. From the various posts, especially from friends and coworkers at Columbia, it appears that Louise had an active and fullfilling life, touching the lives of many. She was certainly loved and appreciated by her family, and I believe her husband Ernie found and married a gem!

Understanding the references to the book Louise wrote "The Complete Book Of Pizza", I found that copies are still available at various sites such as eBay and Amazon. Two cover photos are included in this post. The first image is probably from the first edition published in 1980. The second image is from a later edition. Here is a quote about the book "Pizza is unique - American as apple pie, but savored the world over. Pizza is a food which has universal appeal. It is considered a fast food, junk food, kids' food, snack food, take-out food, and, as this book shows, gourmet food. ... This cookbook elevates the art of pizza making to the cordon bleu classification of the culinary arts." by Louise Love (Author), Barbara Hahn (Illustrator). There were at least 10 printings of the book from April 1980 to January 1988.

Wayne Hansen - December 15, 2021

 

 

 

 


12/16/21 09:35 AM #17    

Marty Suydam

This is how those of us who were Watchung School classmates remember Lulu (extracted from annual class pictures).


12/16/21 04:01 PM #18    

Ron Owens

As I read Memory Comments on our Montclair HS web site, I am constantly in awe of the accomplishments of some of my fellow graduates. Such was the case with "Lulu." What an amazing piece was posted by Ernie (who adopted her name!). May she rest in Peace.


12/20/21 02:02 PM #19    

Kent Mitchell (Mitchell)

Louise usually got fine grades but you never heard about them. She sang in Madrigals and enjoyed HossCartwright in the Bonanza show. From what I knew, she was interested in jazz, Miles Davis, other arts, literature, and in the NAACP. And when you think abut it, if you'll bear with me, all our souls just sing through their time and then don't end. More, what we are and do are built in us along the way. It was our pasts, our parents, daily teachers and friends,and discipline that gave to us what we became. As well, in this moment, I'd add to my appreciation for Louise's compassion this thought about an ideal I know she championed in 61. In American democracy,the right that citizens have to vote and be recognized by the democracy's legal realm is comparable to a citizen-soul's equally sacred right to be recognized in any religious or philosopical private realm.  Meanwhile thank you, Louise, for a life dedicated to your personally offered ideals. Your special presence among many friends keeps on.  Kent Mitchell


12/21/21 12:17 PM #20    

Donna Littlefield (Grieves)

I was sorry to hear about Louise. I only knew her in high school but she was so nice and delightful to connect with. It appears she continued a wonderful life. I wish her girls and family to think of all their happy times, and may she Rest In Peace.


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