Louis Joseph Pansky ’55, 1932–2025
Louis Joseph Pansky (Lou), University of Wisconsin graduate, passed away peacefully surrounded by his family celebrating his 93rd birthday on May 22, 2025. Lou lived in Lincoln after leaving his long-time home in Novato, CA, in 2003 with his wife, Enid, who passed away November 28, 2012.
Lou loved living in Lincoln and was an active bowler, bowling in the Lincoln Hills Bowling League for more than 15 years. He made friends everywhere he went and was proud to share that he felt and looked like he was still in his 70s. He was proud to share that he would live until he was 110.
Prior to retiring in Lincoln, Louis and his wife were Tupperware distributors, the founders of Cameo Party Sales in Vallejo, CA, and then moved the business to Santa Rosa, CA, covering more territory. They were recognized by Tupperware as pioneers in the industry and received the organization’s highest honor, the Ad Astra Award, in 1990. Pansky and his wife trained numerous Tupperware dealers and managers on how to sell and promote their products and even spun off an additional distributorship.
Prior to Tupperware, Lou worked for the Western Consortium for Continuing Education as an education associate. There, he traveled around the country developing educational content for universities, facilitating workshops and program trainings on alcohol and drug prevention. Pansky also worked with the Los Angeles City and County Public Health Department’s Alcoholism Clinic and the Cincinnati Board of Health as a director of its Alcohol Information Center.
Lou graduated from the University of Wisconsin with a bachelor of science degree in education with a minor in physical education. He started his graduate schooling at Wisconsin and transferred to the University of Michigan to receive a master’s degree in public health. He continued his education at the Yale School of Alcohol Studies and finished his education at the University of Washington as a pre-doctoral candidate in social and cultural anthropology.
In addition to bowling, Pansky was known for singing show tunes and playing bridge, hand and foot, and other card games. He was an avid 49er football fan and coffee drinker. In college, he swam on the Wisconsin swim team and participated in their boxing program.
Lou was the son of Abraham and Leah Pansky and the last of three siblings, Dr. Ben Pansky and Esther Kahn. Lou is survived by his son, Scott Pansky (Yovita), daughter Alicia Tonelli, and his five grandchildren: Jordanna Elliott (Tommy), David Tonelli, Samantha, Rebecca and Jessica-Belle Pansky, and his great granddaughter, Taliah Elliott.
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