Louise Markham Giamalva

Born March 17, 1925, in Russellville, Ky., she graduated from Olmsted High School in 1942, Western Kentucky University in 1946, and Tulane Medical School in 1950, where she was a true pioneer - one of only three women who graduated that year. She did her internship and residency training at the Baptist Hospital and the Sara Mayo Hospital in New Orleans. She worked at Lallie Kemp Hospital in Hammond. From 1952 to 1956, she practiced general medicine in Hammond and Auburn, Ala. She married Mike J. Giamalva on June 25, 1952, in Independence. In 1957, she and her family moved to Baton Rouge, where she began working at LSU Infirmary, from which she retired in 1991 with 31 years of service. She was a fulltime physician while raising six children. She took time off from LSU for a two-year adventure: to work with U.S. AID in Somalia, where she was also the Embassy physician, from 1965 to 1967, with six children, ages 5 to 12, in tow. She and her husband later worked a two-year stint in Sierra Leone, West Africa, in 1986, and in Haiti in 1991. They also moved to Jamaica to work when she had a stroke and returned to Baton Rouge. Even after her stroke she was very active in her community and church. She and her husband went to "Mission Honduras," sponsored by St. Aloysius, and were the oldest volunteers to go. Louise loved to read, when she had time. She was a loyal member of the Altrusa Club of Baton Rouge, where she received a Lifetime Service Award. She was a gourmet cook of the Julia Child era, collecting cookbooks and contributing recipes to several cookbooks, including River Road. She sponsored dozens of international students from China, Malaysia, Pakistan and South Africa, many of whom lived in her home. She was a member of the Malachological Society and collected sea shells around the world. She loved to travel - she visited all over North Africa, Europe, South Africa and China (where she studied acupuncture), Haiti and Australia. She was a loyal member of St. Aloysius Church and a supporter of St. Aloysius School for more than 47 years. Predeceased by her husband, Mike J. Giamalva; parents, Hugh and Mary Lee Markham, and siblings Lee Markham, Hugh Markham, Mildred Russell, Neal Markham, Roberta Bowhay and David Markham. She is survived by siblings Kitty Nedderman, Christine Johnson, Mary Long Judy and John Markham; her children: John and wife Vickie Claflin; David and wife Lolah; Bruce and wife Bonnie Jenkins, children Dan and wife Nickey, Leah, Mike II and Elizabeth; Ben and wife Vickie, children Ali and Bingham; Michael; and Amy and husband Gerry Drago, children Jessica and Matthew. Visitation at Rabenhorst Funeral Home, 825 Government St., on Friday, Feb. 22, was from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Visitation at St. Aloysius Catholic Church on Saturday, Feb. 23, from 9 a.m. until funeral Mass at 11 a.m. Pallbearers will be Dan Giamalva, Mike Giamalva II, Bingham Giamalva, Matthew Drago, Mike Massi and Sonny Garofalo. In lieu of flowers, please make memorial donations to St. Aloysius Catholic Church School, 2025 Stuart Ave., Baton Rouge, LA 70808.