Louise Roudebush passed into eternity in her sleep July 9, 2023. She is preceded in death by her eldest son. Louise leaves behind a large family of daughters, sons, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews, beloved cousins and faithful dog, Benji.

Louise moved to Durham, NC in 1980 as a single mother with three of her younger children in tow. She quickly started a daycare that evolved into a boarding school and children’s home that would become her entire life’s work. For the next 4 decades, “Aunt Louise” took in children whose parents couldn’t take care of them.

To the many children that passed through Agape Corner, to the local volunteers, and to her own family, Louise Roudebush was easy to admire, though at times difficult to love. She was persistent in her desire to guide people to a better place. To the many that felt unloved and unlovable, she was willing to try and help them see their worth. Dedicating the majority of her time and effort to this work, the resulting strain on her own children has left behind the legacy of a broken, but ever lovely and resilient family.

Durham today has a significant population of people that were positively affected by Louise’s work at Agape Corner. Some found the only home and only family they would ever know as children in Louise and the volunteers that served tours of duty at her side. Many of these children have grown up and are now independent adults. Several were adopted into the families of volunteers. For hundreds of college students and church members concerned from a distance by the poverty that existed only a short distance from their own homes, Agape Corner is the place where they met the poor for the first time and began learning to serve the marginalized. It was often a bumpy ride. Through it all, Louise ran Agape Corner her way.

Anyone that knew Louise understood quickly that she was an outspoken Christian. She wanted nothing more than to share the good news of Christ’s love and redemption with everyone. As Tim Keller famously wrote “The Gospel is this: We are more sinful and flawed in ourselves than we ever dared believe, yet at the very same time we are more loved and accepted in Jesus Christ than we ever dared hope.” As his words have challenged a generation of readers, Louise Roudebush’s life challenged a generation in Durham and beyond. To the proud, she provided the knowledge to believe they were actually broken. To the broken, she provided the truth to believe they were loved. She wasn’t a savior, but she knew Jesus, the One that is, and He loved her. We will think of her often as we try to love like the Savior that changed her life forever.

According to her wishes, Louise’s family will have a small private ceremony to spread her ashes in the North Carolina mountains.

In Lieu of flowers, we encourage you to donate to the charity of your choice.