Michaela Galasso Williams

Michaela Galasso Williams, a pioneer and influential proponent of Montessori education in Louisiana passed away at her residence in Baton Rouge Sunday, August 28 with her family at her side. Founder and director of the Montessori Children’s House, she is fondly remembered by countless students as well as the women she influenced as a mentor, educator and colleague. Michaela was a founding member of the Louisiana Montessori Association and in 2012 was honored with the Association’s first Lifetime Achievement Award for her enduring contribution to Montessori Education in Louisiana.

Born in Reading, PA to Paul and Dorothy Loose, Michaela excelled in music and graduated from the Eastman School of Music, a recipient of the George Eastman Scholarship. While at Eastman she met and married Dr. Michael A. Galasso in 1947 and moved to Hammond, LA. She served as principal oboist for the Baton Rouge Symphony from 1957 to 1965. She and her husband (Concertmaster of the BR Symphony and LSU violin professor) relocated to Baton Rouge in 1963.

After her husband’s death in 1965 and while raising her five children she returned to school to study Montessori and in 1967 apprenticed at Baton Rouge’s first Montessori program at St. Agnes Church. In 1968 she founded the Montessori Children’s House on Highland Road which she operated until 2012.

In 1971 Michaela Galasso married Dr. Hulen B. Williams, Dean of Chemistry & Physics at LSU. Dr. Williams died in 2009.

Michaela Galasso Williams is survived by her daughter Marianne and husband Richard Lewis, sons Paul and wife Mary, David and wife Gayle, and Mark who cared for his mother through a long illness. Her eldest son Michael passed away in 2009. From her marriage to Dr. Williams she is survived by stepchildren Jean Williams Middleton and Dr. James Williams. She was blessed with fifteen grandchildren and sixteen great grandchildren.

Services are to be held at St. Aloysius Church, 2025 Stuart Ave. in Baton Rouge on Saturday, September 3 at 10 am. Visitation at St. Aloysius is from 9:00 to 10:00am. In lieu of flowers, donations to the Dr. Michael A. Galasso Memorial Scholarship at Louisiana State University in remembrance of Michaela Galasso Williams are welcome and deeply appreciated.

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