Louise Lundgren

July 9, 1953 – August 8, 2026

Louise Ann Lundgren passed away peacefully following a brief illness on August 8, 2026, surrounded by her family in her Arlington Heights home. She was preceded in death by her parents, Virginia Kohl Hurtenbach and Anthony Hurtenbach; her brother William (Sue); and her beloved husband, Gary Robert Lundgren. She is survived by her children, Elizabeth (Chris), Jack, and David (Mindi); her cherished grandchildren, Stella, Nate, Elliott, and Evan; and her siblings Maria (Patrick) Sharpe, Peter (Cheryl) Hurtenbach, Barbara (Mark) Whitman, John (Cynthia) Hurtenbach, and Michael (Heidi) Hurtenbach; and many nieces and nephews.

Louise grew up in Glenview within a lively household of operatic singers, music teachers, and musicians. Although she loved to belt it out loudly, she couldn’t carry a tune to save her life. A graduate of Regina Dominican High School, she went on to earn her bachelor’s degree from Southern Illinois University, a master’s degree from Northeastern Illinois University, and ultimately, a doctorate in education from Loyola University in January 2002.

A longtime resident of Des Plaines, Illinois, Louise raised three children, Elizabeth (Chris), Jack, and David (Mindi). She was the mom her kids’ friends called for advice, sat with on the porch on summer nights, or talked to on the kitchen bench. Later, her grandchildren, Stella, Nate, Elliott, and Evan, became her ultimate muses, joy, and purpose. Whether leading science experiments, going on night walks with headlamps to look for creatures, or painting rocks to hide around the community, there was nowhere she’d rather be than in their world.

Following in her own mother’s footsteps, Louise served as the leader of Girl Scout Troop 792 for years. From Brownies to Cadettes, she guided girls through adventure camping, Māori stick games, and the art of taking affordable risks. Her Girl Scouts will always remember her nighttime bellowing of “Good night, Scouts!” echoing across the campsite at the end of every evening. Decades later, women she mentored as Scouts continued to reach out to thank her for her unwavering belief in them.

Over a thirty-year career as a special education and science teacher and job coach, which she spent predominantly in Chicago Public Schools, "Doc Louise" passionately collaborated with and advocated for students with disabilities. She loved co-teaching, instructed online college courses to equip incoming freshmen for academic success, and proudly raised two future educators to carry on her legacy.

Louise was tenacious, resolute, steadfast, and determined. She was funny, smart, scrappy, and adventurous. She took up space because she knew she deserved to, and she wanted everyone around her to feel that same freedom. She loved fearlessly, never accepted "no," and once declared she wanted a twenty-Harley escort for her hearse. Her life yielded unforgettable stories: partying backstage with rockstars, kayaking alongside water moccasins, skipping Catholic school to sit in the Cubs bleachers (only to get kicked out of Ron Santo's house later), and living in geodesic domes. Louise was a powerhouse—brilliant, hilarious, deeply compassionate, and completely unapologetic about who she was.

An incurable animal lover, she was rarely without dogs, birds, or reptiles. It was a passion that began in childhood with secret ducks hidden in a cardboard box in her bedroom. In later years, her backyard koi pond was her sanctuary. She spent countless summer days "ponding" with a cup of coffee, loud music, friends, and grandbabies. Her annual July summer backyard party was a community staple that brought people from all walks of life together. Every July, she also threw a legendarily massive bash where the local fireworks felt less like a civic celebration and more like her personal birthday extravaganza, complete with overflowing buffets and the friends and family she loved so fiercely.

As a long-time Friend of Bill W., Louise’s work through AA touched countless lives. Once her children were grown, she opened her home to women in recovery and transition so they could find their footing. For nearly two decades, she championed the underdog, coaching women through GED or college programs and job placements and fighting fiercely for them to transform their lives just as she had her own.

Her home on Evergreen Avenue was a place of love, refuge, and gathering. It told its story through creaking floorboards, sunlight shifting through wooden shutters, and the echo of the stairwell that amplified both her loudest bellows and her sons bounding up two steps at a time. Louise maintained to the end that she once spoke with her grandfather’s ghost in that very stairwell, right above the front porch adorned with the peony bushes he planted nearly eighty years ago. The house knew its purpose and fulfilled it faithfully, seeing three kids through endless summer days of backyard digging and imaginative adventures while offering shelter to any friend, relative, or stranger who needed a fresh start.

Louise loved fiercely and freely, and she made an indelible mark on this world. She will be deeply missed. Her absence leaves a quiet space where a powerhouse once stood, but the world is infinitely richer, wilder, and kinder for having had her in it.

Friends, fellow travelers, and all who were lifted by her unapologetic warmth and grit are invited to attend a graveside service at All Saints Cemetery in Des Plaines at 11:00 AM on September 11th, 2026, where she will be interred alongside her parents. A gathering and luncheon will follow from 12:00pm - 4:00pm, with details available from the family.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Miracle House Des Plaines: https://miraclehousedp.org/