San Clemente, CA - Professor Louis Edward Wolcher died on November 7th, 2025, in Orange County, California, after a rapid struggle with pancreatic cancer.

Louis was born on August 27th, 1947, in San Francisco, California, to Edward and Gloria Wolcher. Raised in Portland, Oregon, and Santa Rosa, California, Louis was a scholar-athlete who played baseball at Stanford University where he graduated with honors in history and Phi Beta Kappa in 1969. He attended Harvard Law School, where he graduated Magna Cum Laude in 1973.

After a clerkship in the Hawaii Supreme Court, stints in private practice as an associate and partner with the firm Pettit & Martin in San Francisco, and three years on the faculty of Rutgers-Camden Law School in New Jersey, Louis joined the faculty of the University of Washington Law School in 1986, where he was appointed Charles I. Stone Professor of Law in 2004.

A beloved teacher, Louis taught many different subjects, including human rights, contracts, torts, civil procedure, federal courts, and philosophy of law. Recognized by the students as Teacher of the Year in 1992 and 1999, he received the University of Washington's Distinguished Teaching Award in 2005.

His professional honors included Fulbright Awards to study and teach in Slovenia and France, an invitation to lecture to the judges of the European Court of Human Rights, and a philosophical prize in Lettre International's 2000 International Essay Competition. He authored four books, the most recent of which—Ethics: New Trajectories in Law— was released in 2020.

An avid golfer, Louis was proud to have "shot his age" on many occasions, most recently in September of this year.

He is survived by the love of his life, Susan Haluk Wolcher. The couple married in 1970, sharing a life of many adventures, traveling to five continents and having two children—Sarah and Edward— and five grandchildren— Elizabeth, William, Cecelia, Andrew, and Logan. Louis and Susan celebrated their 55th wedding anniversary in February 2025.

Louis loved learning, had a wonderful sense of humor, and was a devoted father and grandfather. He was committed to justice and asking the deepest questions about human rights and the nature of law. His wisdom, laughter, and love will be forever missed.

Donations can be made in Louis' honor to Amnesty International.