In Memoriam: Louisa C. Mankin

Article by UDaily staff December 14, 2022

Campus community remembers long-time physician in Student Health Services

Louisa Claflin Mankin, who served almost 13 years as a physician in Student Health Services at the University of Delaware, passed away peacefully on Nov. 24, 2022, at her home in Newark. She was 103.

Louisa Mankin

Dr. Mankin, who studied medicine at Temple University and was one of only nine women in the graduating class of 1947, was hired as a full-time physician for the University’s Student Health Services in 1973 and retired from UD as senior staff physician in 1986.

She truly loved her job at UD, her family said, adding “Her quiet, extroverted personality was appealing to students, and many sought her out specifically, especially some female students during the years when she was one of the only women physicians on staff.”

She also conducted several safety seminars for the then-Department of Chemical Engineering and the School of Life and Health Sciences.

Born in 1919 in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, she attended the University of Pittsburgh before earning her medical degree at Temple University.

Dr. Mankin worked in the Wilmington Public Schools from 1948 to I951, where she served as the district's first full-time physician. From 1951-52, she worked for the Governor Bacon Health Center and later resumed working on a part-time basis for the Wilmington and Newark School districts during the time when her children were young.

Louisa Mankin in a 1986 photo, courtesy of University of Delaware Archives and Records Management

In 1971, Dr. Mankin was appointed by Delaware Gov. Russell Peterson to serve a three-year term on his newly created Governor's Council for Women. The council's purposes at that time included determining the nature and extent of discrimination against women in Delaware and fostering understanding of and appreciation for the contributions women could make to the growth and progress of the state and nation.

After retiring from UD, she spent time as a volunteer lecturer for the American Cancer Society and served as transportation coordinator for the Road to Recovery Program. During her retirement years, she also enjoyed playing cards with friends at the Newark Senior Center, playing with her little dogs and helping to raise her granddaughter, Maria. A highlight of her later years was when friends, extended family and former co-workers gathered to celebrate her 100th birthday.

Dr. Mankin was married to the late Victor Mankin, who served on the faculty of UD’s then-College of Education. Her son, Mark, retired from UD after serving as coordinator for facilities in building maintenance and operations, and his wife, Mary Jo, retired from the registrar’s office.

To read her obituary or leave online condolences, visit R.T. Foard and Jones Funeral Home