Louise M. LaFramboise

On Tuesday, January 21, 2025, Dr. Louise Marie LaFramboise was released from service to her family, community and profession as her physical body took its last breath and came to rest. 

Louise is survived by husband, Bryan LaFramboise; daughters, Cassandra L. and Samantha E. LaFramboise; mother, Dorothy Nelson; brother, Michael (Sonya) Nelson; sister, Barb Nelson; close friend and aunt, Shirley Simons (Bob May); many extended relatives, friends and colleagues. Preceded in death by father, David Nelson; grandparents, Michael and Elizabeth Szaro. 

If a legacy is the long-lasting impact of actions in a person’s life, the outreach of the life of Louise LaFramboise will reverberate on this planet for years to come. 

Spanning over 46 years, Louise’s extraordinary nursing career began in 1978 when she graduated from Creighton University with her Bachelor of Science in Nursing and entered clinical work at the St. Joseph Hospital in Omaha, NE. As her bedside experience grew, so did her education. She went on to receive her Master of Science in Nursing from the University of Texas in Arlington in Adult Health Nursing in 1986 and began her journey into nursing education and academia as an instructor in the College of Nursing at University of Nebraska Medical Center. She earned her PhD in Nursing in 1998 from the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center. 

For 38 years, Louise educated thousands of undergraduate and graduate students and made a significant impact by cultivating and trailblazing the future of nursing as an educator, scholar, and leader. Louise began her leadership track for the College of Nursing as the Director of the Accelerated program from 2005-2007 and then became the Director of Baccalaureate Program in 2007. She led the College of Nursing and helped grow the program until 2019 when she became Assistant Dean for the Omaha Division. She remained in that role until her retirement in January 2024. 

Professionally, Dr. LaFramboise had several peer-reviewed publications and book chapters as well as local, regional, national, and international podium presentations. She participated both as a team leader and team member on numerous funding awards that have totaled approximately $12.4 million including several federal grants from the Health Resources and Services Administration. 

Louise had a unique way of meeting people where they were and guiding them accordingly. 

She might take you by the hand and invite you to become more. As a skillful teacher, she could create the space for you to take in information and formulate questions. In these times, you got to experience Louise’s compassion and gentle care. 

Or, she might throw down the gauntlet and issue the challenge for you to become more. There was still room for you to grow and learn but, in this instance, you had to step up and claim it. In these times, you got to experience Louise’s ferocity and intensity. 

Either way, she refused to settle for anything less than excellence. If it was on her watch, you were going to become more. More of who you were meant to be; more of who you were capable of being. It didn’t matter if you could see your potential. Louise could see it and she very seriously took it upon herself to coax the greatest you to come forward. It was up to you as to whether you got there with ease or in a rowdy street fight! 

Louise is frequently thought of as being stubborn or intimidating. People will say things like “Louise is Louise” or “Louise wants things the way Louise wants things.” That’s the rap someone who embodies excellence gets. She could no more have lowered her standards than she could have flown to the moon by flapping her arms up and down! 

This value of excellence is who she was. This is how she showed up in the world. This is how she was called to share her gifts. 

Louise brought this same fierceness to her role as mother. She wanted her daughters Cassie and Sammie to be safe and educated. It was important to her that they both knew the value of a strong work ethic. She tenderly hoped that any wisdom she had imparted upon them had taken root in such a way that Louise’s values would live on through the lives of her girls. While others were fortunate to know Louise, only these two young women had the great honor of calling her “mom.” 

In Louise’s final weeks and days, her sister Barb walked alongside her supporting and tending to Louise as Barb had done throughout their lives together. It would be an understatement to say that the bond between these two souls was strong. Deep was the love and dedicated was the commitment between these sisters. 

Also, with her in her last hours was her husband, co-parent, and partner in crime Bryan. Having recently celebrated their 32nd wedding anniversary, Bryan and Louise were synched up in all the ways that mattered. Bryan’s devotion to his beloved remained steadfast to Louise’s last breath. 

To ease the heartbreak of those left behind, we ask that you share a memory or story you have of Louise. Feel free to tell us a quality of Louise’s that you admired or a way in which she impacted your life. Thank you for your love and care as we learn how to navigate our way through this world without Louise by our sides. 

In lieu of flowers, memorials to the Fred and Pamela Buffett Cancer Center - Nebraska Medical Center. 

Mass of Christian Burial Monday, January 27, 2025 at 10:30am at St. Columbkille Catholic Church 200 E. 6th St, Papillion, NE 68046. Visitation Sunday 3-5pm with a Wake Service at 5pm at John A. Gentleman Mortuaries Bellevue Chapel.