Obituary of Louise Anne Pascal

LOUISE ANNE PASCAL November 14, 1957 - June 27, 2010 On a lovely Sunday afternoon, surrounded by family in her home of 30 years, Louise passed away after a year-and-a-half fight against brain cancer. She was 52 years old. Louise was born in Santa Cruz at Sister's Hospital and lived in Santa Cruz her entire life. She attended Brook Knoll School, Scotts Valley Middle School and Harbor High School, graduating from Harbor in 1976. Louise was a beloved and devoted hair stylist for 30 years and co-owned the Hair Gallery in downtown Santa Cruz for 15 years. She was affectionately known to family and friends as Weezer. Louise was a phenomenal woman with a beautiful, creative, funny, independent, and, above all, loving spirit. She had a compassionate and generous heart for those in her life, especially for all the children. She was immensely proud and supportive of her son and daughter, endlessly devoted to her granddaughters, and committed to the many other kids who she cared for in both time and love as if they were her own (especially delighting in playful and silly times). She loved spending time with family and friends at the table with good food and drink, or on her own in her lovely garden, along the coast, or around town. Louise and her husband Derek also loved to travel, including adventures to Japan and Panama, and delighted in road trips and camping in the teardrop trailer they refurbished together. In recent years, Louise took up race walking and participated in races throughout California and Oregon. To the amazement of her loved ones and her medical team, she successfully completed the 21-mile leg of the 2009 Big Sur Marathon after starting radiation and chemo therapies. She also was enthusiastic about rock climbing and was a regular at the Pacific Edge Climbing gym. Louise is survived by her husband Derek Van Alstine; son and daughter-in-law Aryeh Benjamin and Alanna Williams; daughter and daughter-in-law Amie Pascal and Heather Petrocelli; "daughters" Megan Benjamin and Natalie Brandt; stepdaughters Lizzy and Ariana Van Alstine; granddaughters Deneah and Claira Williams Benjamin; parents Roland and Nancy Pascal; sister and brother-in-law Laura Pascal and Ray Segal; brother Roger Pascal; sister-in-law Jil Van Alstine; nephews Forrest List, Coleman Segal, Vaden and Austin Pascal; nieces Faina and Nili Segal; uncle and aunt Dusty and Jo Ann Janes; aunt Gertie Johnson; cousins Susan and Chris Schmidt, Dustin and Jennifer Janes, Meg Janes, Ann and Steve Gentry, David Pascal, Steven and Danna Pascal, Nancy Belzer, Vicki and Dan Wilson, and Dawana and Jeff Cortez. A celebration of Louise's life will be held for family and friends on August 7th at 2 p.m. For details, please contact Nancy at 831-423-2422. As a loving memory of Louise's generous spirit, gifts may be directed to Jacob's Heart Children's Cancer Assn., 2007 Freedom Blvd., Freedom, CA 95019, or Hospice Care of Santa Cruz. 940 Disc Drive, Scotts Valley, CA 95061.