Louise Rowan was born on April 18, 1920, in Toledo, Ohio and died on Tuesday, January 16,
2018, in Wauwatosa, WI. Louise completed her undergraduate degree at Toledo University in
1940 and her doctorate in 20th Century French Literature at University of Wisconsin-Madison
in 1948. As a doctoral student she stayed at the French House at UW-Madison where she had
the opportunity to interact entirely in French with other students. She married John M.
Witherell and they had two daughters Anne (Elaine) Witherell and Jane Martell (Mark). Louise
taught at UW Extension Fox Valley and retired as Full Professor from UW-Green Bay. While at
UW-Green Bay, Witherell discovered that she than new made a lower salary than new hires. She
was unable to sue the University, so a lawyer came to UW-Green Bay to take depositions from
anyone who had been on any committee that decided her salary. She did not ask for back pay
but instead wanted an adjustment to her retirement. This was an early age and sex
discrimination case, and Witherell won.
