When Louise Palmer Gerity left this world on December 27, 2024, at the age of 91, a light went out on Earth, while a new star entered the heavens. Born in Honolulu, Hawaii, on July 29, 1933, to George and Olivia Palmer, Louise was adored from the start. Soon, two more daughters followed—Sharon and Tricia—and the happy little family settled into daily life in paradise. Not all was idyllic, for their peace was shattered on December 7, 1941, by the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. From their home in Manoa Valley overlooking Diamond Head, they could see smoke billowing in the harbor and hear the horrendous sounds of war on that heretofore peaceful Sunday morning.

Despite hard times to come, Louise’s thirst for knowledge grew, and her intellect knew no bounds. She read voraciously and soon wore thick spectacles, reinforcing her bookworm image. After graduating from Punahou High School in 1951, she headed to Reed College in Portland, Oregon, where she wrote her thesis and graduated in 1955. After marrying Peter Gilpin, whom she met at Reed, in August 1955, the newlyweds moved to New York for two years, during which Louise earned her Master’s Degree in Library Science at Columbia Graduate School. The couple traveled to Europe to enjoy an extended (if late) honeymoon, then moved to Honolulu, where Louise worked as a children’s librarian in downtown Honolulu. After five years of marriage, she and Peter amicably parted, and Louise moved to Portland, Oregon, where she began working at the Portland State University library. In 1962, she met Tom Gerity, also a librarian and professor of Library Science at Portland State. Since Portland State did not allow employees to marry, Louise began working as a reference librarian at Lewis & Clark College in Oregon after the couple married in September of 1963.

Marriage to Tom brought Louise two young daughters—Kate and Collen, who instantly loved and revered their new stepmother. Not only did she bring to the girls a doting family of grandparents, aunts, and uncles, but also a new appreciation of arts and culture. Putting her experience as a children’s librarian to good use, she read them the classics, Tolkien’s “Lord of the Rings” being the most memorable.

Fiercely independent, Louise was a natural-born feminist. She celebrated diversity and advocated for human rights, regardless of gender, race, or creed, imbuing her daughters with confidence in their abilities and offering them sound advice over the years. Louise’s love of learning endured, and she earned a second Master’s in psychology at Lewis & Clark College, putting her knowledge to work as an intern counselor at William Temple House in Portland.

Louise spent the last few decades of her life in Lake Oswego, Oregon, and became a regular fixture at nearby Christ Episcopal Church, serving on the altar guild and participating in the mentorship program. She traveled to Europe, Africa, Peru, Russia, China, and the Holy Lands during that time, further expanding her awareness and views.

Over the years, Louise enjoyed many pets (even a lucky goldfish named Buddy who survived a long stint out of water when Louise's cat fished him from his pond). Like her mother and sisters, she possessed a green thumb and a bountiful garden. The ministry of Saint Francis of Assisi appealed to her introspective, spiritual nature, and like him, she loved wild animals and birds. Each morning, squirrels and birds gathered to be fed under a massive Douglas Fir in her yard. The crows especially loved her, recognizing her face and flocking around, cawing loudly, as she fed them meat scraps from the butcher, and she soon became known in the neighborhood as “The Crow Lady”.

Louise will be remembered as an independent thinker who dared to be herself, a relentless pursuer of new experiences who sought to improve herself and the world around her. She served as a role model for her family, the students she assisted at Lewis & Clark, the congregation of her church, and her many friends whose lives were enriched by her camaraderie, compassion, and wisdom.

Louise is survived by her sister Tricia Azzone, daughters Kate Chastain Gerity and Collen Brook Gerity-Miles, grandsons Thomas Kehl Van Horn and Camden Miles, nieces Tiffany (Garron) Whitehouse and Robyn (Jon) Paterson. Her sister, Sharon Whittington, passed away on November 6th, 2025. Donations can be made to Christ Church in LO, Oregon, or the Alzheimer's Foundation of America (AFA).