Louise Nordstrom

LOUISE PRATT NORDSTROM

Cedar Rapids

Louise Pratt Nordstrom passed peacefully on Sunday, Nov. 6, 2016, at Hallmar Care Center, three days shy of her 92nd birthday. Per her wishes, a private family service was held with Brosh Chapel in Cedar Rapids. Burial was held in Mount Calvary Cemetery.

Louise was born Nov. 9, 1924, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, to Frank and Elma (Kasparek) Pratt. She attended Immaculate Conception grade school and high school and was a scholarship student at Mount Mercy College. Her father, Frank Pratt, began the

family audio visual business, Pratt Sound Films, in 1939. Upon his sudden death in 1944, Elma stepped in as president. Louise left college and went on the road to sell and maintain the accounts, and her sister, Loretta Sweet, still in high school, managed the film department. Imagine - during World War II and in the aftermath of the Great Depression, a 19-year-old girl calling on principals and superintendents to convince them that projectors and films were the future of education. Louise, along with her mother and her sister, grew Pratt Sound Films into Pratt Audio-Visual & Video Corporation, representing and distributing products from over 200 companies.

"An essential quality needed when starting a small business is persistence," Louise often advised others. "People don't fail, they just give up. If something is not successful, then turn it around and make it successful another way." Louise found her work extremely interesting and expressed that "work is only work if you wish you were doing something else."

Louise had been an active member of the International Communications Industries Association (ICIA) and served as chairperson as well as a member of the board of directors for several terms. She also taught management courses at the University of Indiana as part of her participation with the Professional Training Board of ICIA. Additionally, Louise served on the board of directors of the Cedar Rapids Chamber of Commerce and Greater Downtown Association, as well as the Salvation Army Advisory Board.

Louise was a pioneer of the audiovisual industry and a pioneer for working women, although she never saw herself in that role. There was work to be done and she saw no reason why she should not be the one to do it.

Louise was passionate about her business and her family, believed in the importance of education and loved history.

She was a longstanding member of All Saints Catholic Church, where she married George Robert Nordstrom on June 4, 1950.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, George; her son, Steven D. Nordstrom; and her sister, Loretta Pratt Sweet.

Louise is survived by her daughter, Sally Nordstrom and husband Kent Cooling of Cedar Rapids, and children, Chelsea Cooling of Omaha and Chase Cooling of Cedar Rapids; her daughter, Susan Nordstrom Lopez and husband Dr. Osvaldo Lopez of Chicago, and children, Marcos Lopez of Chicago, Alexandra Lopez of New York City and Elizabeth Lopez of London, England; and daughter-in-law, Christine Nordstrom of Cedar Rapids, and children, Bret Ranard of Cedar Rapids and Nicole Dietz of Norway, Iowa.

Her biggest gift to her children was her unconditional love. Her children knew every minute of every day that they were loved, and strive, through her example, to pass that on to their children.

Louise's family would like to thank the staff of Hallmar Care Center at Mercy Medical Center for their very loving and compassionate care for the last 13 years.

Memorials donations may be directed to Mercy Medical Center.

Online condolences may be expressed to the family at www.broshchapel.com.