Louise Tortorelli

Louise C. Tortorelli, age 66, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, January 31, 2012 at Agrace HospiceCare in Fitchburg. Louise was born September 10, 1945 the daughter of Samuel and Thelma (Knoob) Williams in Detroit. She lived there until her junior year of high school when the family moved to Chicago. After graduating from high school in Chicago, Louise received a degree in Chemistry from Loyola University in 1967. She then moved to Wisconsin to attend the University of Wisconsin-Madison where she received a Masters degree in Physical Chemistry, and later a BA in Art History. Louise left Madison for a brief time, but returned to marry the love of her life James J. Tortorelli in June of 1971, and has lived here ever since. Louise was a career chemist employed by the Wisconsin State Lab of Hygiene as a Heavy Metals Chemist, the lab at the Metropolitan Sewage Plant, and ended her career with the Water Science and Engineering Laboratory at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She loved birds and anything to do with nature, but more than anything she loved her son Joe, and spending time with him and her loving husband Jim. Louise also enjoyed water color painting, sewing and knitting, and walking their basset hounds with Jim around their west side neighborhood, and enjoying the peaceful beauty of picnic point. Louise is survived by her devoted husband Jim, and adored son Joe. A visitation will be held from 4 until 7 pm on Tuesday, February 7, 2012 at CRESS FUNERAL HOME, 3610 Speedway Rd Madison, WI 53705.