Louise Penniman Rotholz

Louise Penniman Rotholz, age 70, of Fancy Gap, VA passed away at home on December 18, 2020 in the company of her husband and daughter. She was born on April 24, 1950 in Trenton, N.J. to the late Eleanor K. and John G. Penniman. Growing up in Pleasantville, NY, Louise was a precocious and curious middle child of five who loved to help with cooking, caring for and teaching her younger siblings, and organizing family games and adventures. She loved learning, thrived in school, and excelled in both academics and athletics. She attended her senior year of high school in Switzerland, where she took all of her courses in French, before returning to the states to earn a BA in Sociology from Cornell University.

In 1979 she married Jim Rotholz in the Orthodox Congregational Church of Lanesville, MA. Through this church, Louise and Jim engaged in mission outreaches to Somalia (1981-82) and Nepal (1983-4). From 1989-91 the then-family-of-four lived in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia where Louise served as a devoted and loving mother while Jim worked for an aid organization. After returning stateside, Louise raised their three children, helping with homework, coaching Little League, and participating in the life of their church while Jim attended graduate school.

In 1997 the family moved to Maryland where Louise attended night school to study accounting while working for her brother Paul’s non-profit in D.C. After 13 years of school and work, she finally earned her CPA license. Once their two children grew up and left home, Jim and Louise moved several times, living in New Mexico, Hawaii and, finally, SW Virginia. Wherever they lived, Louise loved to explore the natural world around her. She would regularly hike in the mountains, swim in the ocean, and take time to make friends with whomever she met along the way. An avid reader with keen interests in human psychology and spirituality, Louise also loved to identify birds and plants native to wherever she lived. An excellent correspondent and letter writer, she enjoyed picking out the perfect card to send on a loved-one’s birthday. Louise walked four miles a day and worked as an accountant and independent CPA until the later part of 2020, when pancreatic cancer finally forced her to slow down.

Louise is survived by husband Jim Rotholz of Fancy Gap, VA, daughter Abigail Rotholz of Eugene, OR, and siblings Peter, Paul, and Mary Penniman. She was preceded in death by her son, Jesse Rotholz, and by her brother John Penniman. Louise asked to be remembered in the following way: “I am very thankful for the beautiful life God has given me. It has been my great privilege to have the family God gave me: my parents, siblings, and most of all, Jim, Abby and Jesse. I love you all so very much. We will meet again soon.”

In lieu of flowers, Louise requested that donations be made to the Jesse Rotholz Foundation, https://www.jesserotholzfoundation.org/, established in honor of her late son. The foundation exists to support “faith-based ministries that display the same uninhibited love and transformative power of Jesus Christ that marked Jesse’s brief but impactful life.”

Services for Mrs. Rothholz will be held at a later date.