Louise Ginsburg

Louise H. Ginsburg

Resident of Los Altos

When Louise Hammer Ginsburg was in her 50s and still playing almost daily tennis, she knew exactly how she wanted to die: in her mid-80s, she'd sprint across the court, make the game-winning shot and drop dead of a quick and painless heart attack. Louise did not get the exit of her choice. But the one she got was not a bad second: she died peacefully on March 9, 2012 at her Los Altos home of nearly 60 years. She was 88 and had been in declining health the past three years.

Louise's family and friends remember a woman of lively intellect and great curiosity about the world, especially history and politics. She had a resilient and adventurous spirit, loved the competition of bridge and Scrabble, and sustained an abiding passion for gardening, British mysteries on PBS, ice cream and son-in-law Stephen Gill's beautiful singing. She had a wonderful sense of humor and was adored by her daughters.

Politics and current events were long the focus of lively dinner table conversations with daughter and son-in-law Nancy and Stephen Gill, who lived with her since 1979. Lots of arguing and debating, all of it good-natured, about the arcane meaning of words, historical or literary points of interest, concluding with a Google search (a lot quicker than the dictionary or thesaurus, of old). Those "discussions" helped keep her sharp until the day she died.

Louise Hammer was born Jan. 4, 1924, in St. Louis, MO, to Evelyn Stadler Hammer and Philip Hammer. The family moved to San Jose in 1925, eventually settling in the Rose Garden area of old San Jose in a home still in the Hammer family.

Louise attended San Jose schools and Stanford University, graduating Phi Beta Kappa in three years. In 1944, she married Charles P. Ginsburg of San Francisco. By August of 1949, they had five daughters all under four years of age. When Charlie took a job with Ampex in 1952, they settled in Los Altos in a 14-room house built in 1906. She was one of the founding members of Congregation Beth Am and the first president of the Temple's Sisterhood. Like most mothers in the 1950s, she spent much of her time shepherding her children and leading Brownie troops.

After she and Charlie divorced in 1961, on a whim Louise took the LSAT and was accepted to Stanford Law School. At the time women, especially those who had already raised children, were an anomaly in the nation's law schools. Louise, as always the voracious learner, loved law school and her younger classmates. She earned her law degree in 1968 but was not enthralled with the work of a lawyer. Initially, she practiced domestic law with Myers, Hawley, Morley and Moore in Los Altos, and later did probate law in the San Jose law office of her brother, Phil Hammer at Morgan, Beauzay & Hammer. However, she made sure her law practice never interfered with her more serious commitment to the tennis court.

Louise was a devoted tennis player and spent her Wednesday afternoons and weekends at Alpine Hills Tennis Club in Portola Valley. Yet when the aches and pains of an aging body forced her to give up tennis, she didn't complain. She just turned to her other interests of bridge, gardening, lectures and current events discussion groups.

Louise is survived by five daughters and three sons-in-law: Nancy Ginsburg Gill & Stephen Gill of Los Altos, Peggy Ginsburg of San Jose, Jane Ginsburg of San Francisco, Marge Ginsburg & Howard Slyter of Sacramento, and Patty Ginsburg & Steve Lindbeck of Anchorage, Alaska; four grandchildren; and one great-granddaughter. She is also survived by her brother and sister-in-law, Phil and Susan Hammer of San Jose, sister-in-law Joan Hammer of San Jose, and numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by brothers Henry and Mark and too many friends.

A memorial service will be held March 30 at 11:00 AM at Temple Beth Am in Los Altos Hills. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions to The Planned Parenthood Federation of America, the Rabbi's Discretionary Fund at Temple Beth Am, or The Friends of the Los Altos Library.