Louise J. DesLaurier Obituary

Louise (née Peterson) DesLaurier passed away on January 13, 2025, at the age of 92. She was the only daughter of Ludwig and Lempi Peterson (née Putaansuu), both of Finnish descent.

Louise was born on a granite quarry in Lanesville during the Great Depression. Her father was the son of a Finnish blacksmith and stonemason and was himself a stonecutter and carpenter. Louise was a musical child who performed at Finnish social events in Lanesville.

Louise was a student at Lane School in Lanesville from grades one to six. For grades seven and eight, she went to Central Grammar School. She attended Gloucester High School for two years before leaving at 16 to work at a fish-packing plant on the harbor.

At 18, Louise left for western Massachusetts, where she married Merle DesLaurier, a Korean War Veteran. They had two daughters. Louise was an active person who enjoyed jogging and ice-skating. She adored the company of animals and rescued many dogs, cats and birds.

Louise became a Christian later in life and was involved in many different churches. She returned to Gloucester following the death of her husband, to whom she was married for 65 years. The quarry house where she was born is still in the family almost a century later.

In 2022, The Other Cape published an essay about Louise's life, written by local writer Laura Plummer. The essay, "The Bones of My Ancestors", was reprinted in the Gloucester 400+ Stories Project and in Plummer's debut chapbook, A Decade in Gloucester: Reflections on History and Home (2024).

Louise was preceded in death by her parents, brothers Andrew and Luddy, and one daughter, Christine Peterson. She is survived by daughter Denise Rekelhoff, as well as several grandchildren and great-grandchildren.