August 8, 1939 — November 4, 2022
Ashland lost a vibrant soul, loving mother, grandmother, friend, and one of our community’s leading activists on Nov. 4, 2022, with the passing of Louise Shawkat at the age of 83.
Beneath her often tough exterior, Louise had a soft and caring heart. She was determined, stubborn, blunt, and often impatient, but also pragmatic, and she had a real twinkle in her eye. A relentless crusader, she inspired us to try to live up to our values, not give up, and fight tirelessly for the planet and all we know to be right.
Louise was born in Florida and lived in many different places around the world over the course of her life. After growing up in Atlantic City, New Jersey, her life’s journey took her to Philadelphia, Egypt, Louisville (Kentucky), Saudi Arabia, Portugal, San Francisco, and finally, in 2010, Ashland. Of all these places, Louisville and Ashland were the places she called home.
Louise received her nursing degree from the University of Pennsylvania and, as a nurse, she often chose roles that called for great strength, clarity, and compassion. She was among the first hospice nurses to work with AIDS patients in the 1980s. Then, in her 50s, when many start winding down, Louise completed her Master’s of Science in Nursing, became a Nurse Practitioner and specialized in ostomy, incontinence and wound care. This advanced training allowed her to take a position at the Veteran’s Hospital in Louisville, which she described as deeply fulfilling. (“I loved it!” she told us.)
Louise was married to Dr. Abdul Hamid Shawkat for 25 years during which time she was a devoted wife and mother. In the early years, her children, Omar and Louisa, often came home from school to find her digging in the garden, or prepping dinner with cookies and milk waiting for them on the table.
Louise and Shawkat’s adventures together included living two years in Egypt as newlyweds, world-wide travel, and a year working together in Saudi Arabia. At the age of 34, Omar passed away suddenly and unexpectedly of natural causes. This was a tragic loss from which Louise fully never recovered — one that contributed to her decision to move to Ashland to be close to her daughter’s family.
Louise was devoted to Louisa and her grandchildren, Charlie and Max. She also liked to be in the center of, or at the very least, contributing toward, meaningful happenings, so it is not surprising that moving to Ashland opened many amazing new life chapters. In addition to grandmothering, she threw herself wholeheartedly into sustainable gardening, the Jackson County Democrats and volunteering for Jeff Golden’s State Senate campaign. She was an avid pickleballer and could be frequently seen riding her colorful electric bike around town. Louise was on a continuous learning journey to live as sustainably as possible. In her 70s, she became a Master Gardener, a Master Recycler, and a Master Climate Protector as well as becoming fluent in Spanish.
Louise loved, participated in and supported all forms of art, including music, theater, literature, textiles, painting and drawing. Her modest home in Quiet Village was a visual oasis inside and out. Her Certified Pollinator Garden was a haven for a wide variety of birds, bees, butterflies, and other wildlife. She loved animals, and was especially devoted to her faithful beagle companions Harry, and then Lucy, who is happily resettled in a loving home.
Louise is perhaps best known in Ashland for her unflappable climate activism. She participated in the development of Ashland’s 2017 Climate and Energy Action Plan, and frequently spoke up in commission and City Council meetings to hold the city accountable to its climate action commitments. She was on the founding board of Southern Oregon Climate Action Now (SOCAN), as well as the Ashland Solar Cooperative.
Right up to her last days, Louise maintained her commitment to doing whatever she could to reduce her climate impact. One of her final goals to complete before passing was to eliminate her use of “natural” gas (methane). She did it with the assistance of dear friends who helped her switch out her gas appliances for 100% electric. Avista removed her gas meter the week before she died.
Louise chose to leave this life on her own terms, in a way that was both inspiring and challenging for the living. She entered hospice care in September after a year of living with illness, and chose death with dignity shortly thereafter. Louise’s daughter Louisa left her nursing job to be with her mother in her final months, a precious gift of time together for mother and daughter.
Louise chose her date of departure to take place before the 2022 election and well before Thanksgiving and the winter holidays. She chose her resting place in the beautiful, quiet and serene burial ground among the trees at the Forest at Willow Witt Ranch. On the night before her passing, Louise’s friends and family gathered in her backyard, sang songs, and watched a final sunset with her — but only after she had completed her final phone calls to wrap up some loose ends, including following up on the status of Recology’s mattress recycling program that she had been pushing for the last several years. She was incredibly touched that so many folks arrived, with little notice, to see her off on this last journey. All the visits in that last month meant so much to her. Louise was amazing right to the end, becoming more and more present to the wonder that is life. She danced with Louisa, Max and other loved ones on the morning of her passing.
Louisa, Charlie, and Max took Louise’s body to the Forest at Willow Witt Ranch for a private burial and, like all of us, are learning to keep Louise with them in a new way. She was a one-of-a-kind person who challenged us to rise to the occasion of our times. She lives on in our hearts and souls.
A celebration of Louise will be held once the flowers return. Sign up here if you wish to be contacted with the event details and/or the unveiling of Louise’s headstone.
To read Southern Oregon Climate Action Now’s “Appreciation of Louise Shawkat,” click here.
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