Louise C.T. Forest, 91, died on Saturday, May 1, 2004, at the Bethel Home in Viroqua, Wisconsin. She was born on November 9, 1912, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to Earnest A. and Emma L. (Clewell) Turner. Louise received her bachelor of arts degree in English literature in 1934, and her master of arts degree in 1936, both from Bryn Mawr College in Pennsylvania. She later received her Ph. D. in English literature from Yale University in 1943, only the second woman to receive a Ph. D. from Yale at that time. She was also a Yale Fellow.
Louise served as a professor of English literature at the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls from 1948 until her retirement in 1983. Her favorite subjects to teach were the works of Shakespeare, Chaucer, and Milton. Louise also was an accomplished painter and wrote poetry. She raised and showed champion English Sheepdogs and enjoyed tinkering around the house and building things. She once built a rowboat, a garage, and kennels for her dogs. She was also a longtime member of St. Luke's Episcopal Church in Cedar Falls.
Louise is survived by one daughter, Marian Francis of Westby Wisconsin; one son, Christopher (Norma) Forest of Waverly, Iowa; five grandchildren, Kimberly (Arnie) Morkrid of Viroqua, Wisconsin, Scott (Kira) Hoff of Westby, Wisconsin, and Aaron, Randy, and Kelly Forest, all of Waverly, Iowa; and nine great grandchildren, Kelsey and Logan Martinka, of Viroqua, Brandon and Dalton Morkrid of Viroqua, Kyle, Amanda, Allison, and Ean Hoff, all of Westby, and Jade Marlowe of Richland Center, Wisconsin. Her brother, Earnest "Buddy" Turner, Jr., preceded her in death.
Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, May 5, 2004, at 1 p.m. at the Schumacher-Kish Funeral Home of La Crosse. The Reverend Donald Iliff will officiate. Burial will take place in Oak Grove Cemetery, La Crosse. Friends may call at the funeral home on Wednesday from noon until the time of services.
Copyright Waterloo Courier, May 4, 2004, Page B2.