Christopher—Louise Gray Christopher, 97, on September 16, 2024, at Plush Mills Senior Living in Wallingford, Pa., where she had resided since 2022. Louise was born on August 9, 1927, to Thomas and Lauretta Colesworthy in West Chester, Pa. She received bachelor’s and master’s degrees from West Chester University.
Originally a member of High Street Meeting in West Chester, Louise became a longtime member of Swarthmore Meeting. She strove to live by Friends’ values of peace, simplicity, equality, and community. Louise was foremost a teacher. Her long career in the classroom began in an octagonal schoolhouse in Chester County, with stints at schools in Springfield, Pa.; at Glenwood School in Delaware County, Pa.; and finally at her beloved Friends’ Central School (FCS) in Lower Merion Township, Pa. At FCS, Louise taught fourth grade and later developed the role of math coordinator at the lower school. An especially cherished experience was a sabbatical from FCS spent teaching at Bath High School for Girls (now called Royal High School) in Bath, England.
Louise never ceased to seek opportunities to learn. Her passions were wide-ranging including travel, especially to England; her gardens; reading, especially Shakespeare; tennis; advocacy for girls’ education; and most of all, her family. She was a force of determination and positive attitude in whatever she undertook.
During more than 70 years living in Springfield, Louise led a Girl Scout troop, volunteered with the League of Women Voters and the Girls’ Coalition of Southeastern Pennsylvania, served on the board of the Sleighton School for Girls, and was a docent at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts.
Louise was predeceased by her husband of 58 years, Dale F. Christopher, in 2009.
She is survived by two children, Michael T. Christopher (Joanne) and Betsy V. Christopher (Charlie); four grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.
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