Louise Loeffel Follis

Family and Friends will gather at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception on Saturday, April 1, 2017, 11 a.m. for a funeral mass and celebration of life. A reception will follow at the church in Marion Hall.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Albert (Dutch) Loeffel and Velma Wilkerson Loeffel; husband: Curtis E Follis, son: Michael Follis, and sisters: Catherine (Cak) O’Neil, Dorothy (Dot) Elliotte, and Nancy Sue Hughes. Her survivors include six children - Donna Grimm, Patricia Hughes, Kathie (David) Underwood, Tim Follis, Steve (Michelle) Follis and Jayni Davis (Sheila), 16 grandchildren - Miki Rende, Mike Follis, Jr., Laura Causgrove, Jack Follis, Grace Farquar, Tricia Siano, Keith Branson, Julie Wiggins, Danielle Bozarth, Andy Underwood, Evan Follis, Jr., Kristen Goodwin, Beth Follis, Michael Hughes, Nel Davis and Maggie Davis; and 22 great grandchildren.

Louise graduated from Catholic High School (now Immaculate Conception). She followed her faith by working in the Religious Education Department (CCD), helping to set up the Diocese of Memphis, she also served as Secretary to the Superintendent of Schools of the Diocese of Memphis, and Secretary/Bookkeeper at St. Joseph Church. In addition to her various careers she was a giving person, volunteering with the Altar Society, Legion of Mary, 3rd Order of the Franciscans, teaching CCD and helping to make the Banners hanging in St. Joseph Church. Her giving wasn’t restricted to locals; her daughter Donna recalls a time when she took in mountains of laundry to help flood victims in TX. Other achievements include her working at the USO during WWII says her daughter Trisha and Kathie spoke of her being a WHBQutie singing commercials on the radio. She enjoyed cooking, painting, sewing, reading, puzzles (both crossword and jigsaw), playing games, and setting up betting pools each year for the world series. Her favorite color was blue and her favorite music was WWII music, Christmas music, Engelbert Humperdinck, Mannheim Steamroller and Trans Siberian Orchestra, Orpheum Theatre, Playhouse on the Square and as Jayni recalls, songs from her youth like Accentuate the Positive, I Love You a Bushel and a Peck, and Down in the Meadow. Her devotion to family, her faith, education and her work ethics instilled early ambitions in her children such as Trisha’s desire to be a mom; Tim wanted to graduate college to make her proud; and Kathie remembers wanting to work in an office doing bookkeeping just like her. Wisdom passed down to her children many times came in the form of advice. Trisha recalls her mom always telling her to remember to count to 10 before reacting and that peace at all costs, was not peace. Steve recalls a time he was faced with a situation where he was going to have to confront someone publicly, and he knew if not approached right it could turn against him. His mother knew he was right and supported him 100%, she advised him to say a prayer beforehand and ask the “Good Lord” (her favorite reference to Jesus) to help keep him honest and not let his emotions control what he said. She then added that if he kept what he said honest there would be no regrets. He presented his issues and had them heard. It was not received well and nothing was done to correct the matter. But his mom was right, He walked away knowing he had been heard and had no regrets. He still practices that today and shares it with others every chance he gets. Her children all have favorite memories and things that make them smile when thinking of her. Below are a few listed by each child:

Tim: He remembers the smell of fresh bread, she was a great cook, the endless sacrifices made so that we could receive a quality education, and making sure they were in church weekly and praying which instilled a strong belief in God. He has fond memories of going on family trips with cousins and praying the rosary on Friday nights for Mike’s protection. Also how proud he felt when she attended the ceremony for his induction into the National Honor Society.

Trisha: She reflects on how proud her mom was concerning anything with her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren as well as seeing her own children become adults and have families of their own. She loved the times her children were together and that they were happy and laughing together. The time her mom wore a black shoe and a blue shoe to church because they got ready in the dark so they wouldn’t wake daddy; the drives to Memphis to visit family; her mom getting her a pink ballerina bag to keep her clothes in to stay with Aunt Dot, but they never got out of the driveway without her back in the car. Getting snowed in and losing power were even made fun by everyone staying in the living room together and putting the milk in the bedroom so it wouldn’t spoil, making jelly from the fruit out of the garden, making her prom dress and teaching her to sew. She remembers her mom putting the Christmas tree and presents in a playpen so the kids wouldn’t remove the decorations. Easter time always meant a perm by her mom and Aunt Dot; she recalls the doctor visits with her mom while she was pregnant with Jayni. She rode to painting classes and work with her mom until she got her own car and remembers her mom helping her to learn her Catechism answers so she could make her First Communion then comforting her when she cried all day because it was over. Trisha remembers her mom as being the best mom in the world and always protecting them and having their backs.

Kathie: She reflects back on her mom checking out Andy’s speakers; he put them under the bed and had her lay down so he could turn them on. Nearly blew her out of the bed. She also thinks about the time they worked together at the Diocese. Hamburgers were enjoyed every Saturday night while watching Fantastic Features, she remembers her mom always at the kitchen window when they got home. Kathie credits her mom for giving them all the love of reading and puzzles. Some other favorite things of her moms are her love of Christmas and getting ready for all holidays, cooking, decorating, rocking horses, Coke Christmas collection, and she LOVED sports (Memphis Tigers and Grizzlies basketball, Dallas football, Boston Red Sox and St. Louis Cardinals baseball).

Steve: Growing up was always fun going on vacations and visiting other family. They traveled to places like Chicago, Oklahoma, Dallas, Baton Rouge and Nashville. They also had trips to Branson, Mo to go to Silver Dollar City, Hot Springs, AR to go to the Horse Races and once a weekend camping trip down to Sardis Lake. He remembers how much his mom loved her family and missed them all when they weren’t around. She would pop them popcorn and put it in a paper bag for them to enjoy at the drive-in movies, left overs were taken the next day to Riverside Park and fed to the ducks. One time a duck actually went into the sack trying to get at the popcorn. Because of her love of sports you could always find her at the ball fields watching baseball or in the gym at school watching volleyball or basketball when Evan and Beth were playing. She loved watching her grandchildren play.

Jayni: She remembers how her mother loved practical jokes, she usually came up with great ideas and would coordinate someone else pulling it off. And how much of a big gamer her mother was, always playing cards, board games, trivia, dice and etc. She had a wooden treasure chest full of decks of cards. And, yes, not only was she a brilliant strategists, she could also count cards very quickly. Jayni enjoyed the afternoons spent with her mother watching game shows like Name That Tune and Jeopardy. Her mother loved to celebrate holidays by decorating EVERYTHING in the house. She collected nativity scenes from every culture around the world and set Christmas trees on every flat surface in the house. They even had a shower curtain with Santa taking a shower, thank goodness for strategic soap bubbles. Christmas albums were played back to back starting the day after Thanksgiving. Her proudest memory is how her mother was always there to help, especially when life was so overwhelming that she didn’t even know that she needed help, but mother did. And tea parties where shared with every female descendent of hers, she also loved to go out and eat food from every culture.

Donna: She remembers her mom being very strict and raising them with a firm hand but never leaving any doubt of her unconditional love and that her love of family and faith in God never wavered and was inspirational. Donna to recalls fondly of Friday night movies with popcorn being popped, and also tells of how her mom use to give her words to popular songs, that Donna would then write them down and sell them door to door for a penny a piece.

The family asks that any memorials be sent to charity of the donor's choice and would like to thank you in advance for your kind generosity in honor of Louise Follis.