From the Editor-In-Chief

Louisville lost a legend when Elaine “Cissy” Musselman passed away on March 8th, International Women’s Day. The reverberations of Cissy’s frequent bursts of laughter spurred by a wicked sense of humor were only rivaled by the resonance of her good deeds, which touched so many parts of our community. A member of a family known for being the antithesis of shrinking violets, Cissy amassed her own orbit of friends and family who were happy to bask in the glow of her generous spirit.

Imbued with an indomitable drive that made her a standout in the classroom and on the sports field from a young age, this tenacity would serve her well throughout a professional and personal life accentuated by numerous accolades. A cornerstone of her philanthropic work was founding Women 4 Women in 1993. The nonprofit organization’s mission was dedicated to celebrating and elevating the contributions of women through grantmaking and advocacy efforts. Throughout its 22-year run, a golf tournament she started to support the work of W4W raised close to $10 million for charitable purposes.

During our infrequent interactions over the years, Cissy would always greet me with the warmth of an old friend and never missed the opportunity to pitch a story idea on a cause close to her heart or an interesting person she’d met. While the thought popped up on multiple occasions, I now regret not seizing the chance to have an in-depth conversation with Cissy about her fascinating life. Eternally optimistic, I filed away the idea in my mind, erroneously believing the right time would come another day, but Alzheimer’s Disease had other plans for Cissy.

The cruelest of thieves, the victims of Alzheimer’s crimes stretch far beyond the afflicted individual. But fortunately for Cissy, the friends, and family who assembled to lend support in her valiant battle with the disease did so with the same fervor Cissy used over the years to rally those same people behind a cause near dear to her heart.

To honor Cissy’s life and legacy, $10 from every new and renewing subscription in Louisville and Lexington for May and June will be donated to the University of Louisville Elaine Cissy Musselman Endowment so that Cissy’s efforts to improve the self-sufficiency of women will persist.

Bridget Williams, Editor-In-Chief bridget@slmag.net