Herbert Johnson Louis (Tim) was born April 22, 1928, to Henrietta Johnson and John Jeffry Louis in Evanston, Illinois, and passed away at his home in Paradise Valley, (February 16, 2016). He was the great-grandson of Samuel Curtis Johnson, founder of the SC Johnson & Son. He was known as an accomplished orthopedic surgeon, philanthropist, sportsman, Army veteran, mentor, husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and a good friend.
He studied at Deerfield Academy in Deerfield, Massachusetts, Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts and Northwestern University Medical School in Chicago, Illinois. He married Julie deLescaille, his college sweetheart, in 1950, before beginning his medical residency training, which was completed at Hines Veterans Administration in Chicago (interrupted and enhanced by two years of medical service as an Army Captain under Major George Woodard in France, where he also received a wonderful introduction to fine wine and food), all capped by a fellowship at 12 different medical orthopedic centers in England.
Tim and Julie moved to Phoenix, Arizona in 1961 to begin his professional career in private practice. Shortly after beginning his practice, Tim realized that his true calling was in education. He soon created and chaired the Maricopa County hospital’s orthopedic residency program. The countless children he treated and the 50 residents he trained were a source of tremendous pride. Tim was an active member of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgery, within which he served on many subcommittees. Career honors included: elected member of the Association of Bone and Joint Surgeons, serving for a time as its President, and for many years he acted as an examiner for the national Orthopaedic Board of Surgery.
Most notably to his friends and family, Tim was a man who selflessly volunteered his time, energy, and finances to a multitude of people, organizations, and causes. He was integrally involved in creating the Phoenix Children’s Hospital and served on its board since its inception. He was a passionate and active member of The Phoenix Thunderbirds.
To all, he was known to have a wry sense of humor and a keen sense for traditional values. He held himself and others to exacting standards of dress and elocution, but did so with a wink and a smile. An avid pilot who described himself as also having “a terrible addiction to golf;” he never believed himself to be a fine golfer (but he wouldn’t mind telling you about his nine holes-in-one, and/or having shot his age on several occasions). To all he encountered he was one of the finest examples of the sport’s high standards and values. His culminating achievement in golf was his design of TOIX (The Other Nine), the complement to Deerprint, a golf course built by his grandfather just off the shore of his cherished Lake Owen, Wisconsin. He had a considerable interest and ability in woodworking and often worked wood into “semi-functional things”. He had a respect for all living things and had a life-long affinity for pets, most recently Bainbridge, his beloved and devoted deaf white Labrador retriever who he proudly trained, along with himself, to be a therapy team for visits to Phoenix Children’s Hospital patients.
The very core of his spirit lies in the above-mentioned place and lake in the Great North Woods of Wisconsin. It is there that his faith in family values, ethical behavior, kindness to others, and the pursuit of one’s true self is most evident. The atmosphere that he created is a marvel to all who have been able to visit. It is a legacy that will live forever in the hearts and minds of not only his family, but in the many guests he loved to entertain.
He is pre-deceased by his parents and his two brothers, the Honorable John Jeffry Louis, Jr., and Michael William “Mick” Louis.
He is survived by his wife Julie, his six children: Hank Louis, Peggy Moreland, Clif Louis, Carrie Hulburd, Steve Louis, and Tim Louis, and his 22 grandchildren and 8 great-grandchildren. He took enormous pride in his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, nurturing their abilities and passions with vigor. His legacy will live on through them.
He will be sorely, lovingly, and respectfully missed.
Celebration of Life will be held on Wednesday, February 24, 2016 at 2:00 pm on the third floor rooftop garden at the Phoenix Children’s Hospital, 1919 East Thomas Road, Phoenix, Arizona. Valet parking available for those who require assistance.
The Louis family would appreciate any donations to be sent to the Phoenix Children’s Hospital Foundation, 2929 East Camelback Road, Phoenix, AZ 85016.
Arrangements entrusted to Whitney & Murphy Funeral Home and Post Scripts by Posey.
Nita and Phil Francis
A great man, a gentle soul – We need more of his kind on this earth – All who knew and were trained by him will carry that spirit forward. We send our deepest condolences to his family.
Dave Berg
Highly respected and loved greatly by all.
Wonderful life and an incredible family, a testament for a Great, Great man.
It was our pleasure to know him, laugh with him, and count him a friend.
He will be sorely missed and never forgotten.
Thank you for sharing him with us!
Dave & Patti Berg
Lake Friends
Jim and Betsy Aronson
Tim inspired Betsy and me during the 1997 Grand Canyon rafting adventure. We will never forget his ageless energy, enthusiasm and love for the raw beauty of nature. We were fortunate to meet Julie at the time and since we have enjoyed friendship and good times with Steve and Amy. Our hearts join this grand family in mourning the loss of such a patriarch while deriving strength from his spirit.
Bill and Gretchen Hannaford
Dear Julie and family,
Wednesday was the day of the Celebration of Life for Dr Tim Louis, your wonderful husband, father, father-in-law, grandfather, and great-grandfather. We had just returned from a trip out of the country, and so we were not able to be with you in person on that day. But we, and many others, were with you in spirit and thoughts.
You have been on our minds every day for over a week, and we continue to reflect on Dr Tim’s life and what he and the Louis family has meant to us as friends. Many people have offered up meaningful tributes to Dr Tim’s life, and we can only try with humility to add our own words of condolence.
We are aware of Dr Tim’s many accomplishments in medicine, his work with children, his love of golf, his fondness for animals, his skill as a woodworker, and more. But for us, as relative newcomers to Lake Owen, it was his generosity in welcoming us to be a part of his circle of friends at TOIX that was, and remains, so special.
Dr Tim and Julie Louis have indeed enjoyed a life of privilege, but unlike others in similar circumstances, they eagerly extended the privilege of their friendship to many of us on Lake Owen. We were delighted to grow ever closer through golf at TOIX, and through social events like dinners at Eagle Knob, cocktails on the deck, and games like bridge.
So Dr Tim will really be missed by us. We are so grateful to the Louis family for their continuing friendship.
Most fondly,
Bill Hannaford and Gretchen Bell Hannaford