I am Rafael Velazquez

In memory of Ellie Garcia Kerstetter, selections from her obituary:

If you believe we all have a finite number of breaths to draw before our bodies give out, then you might say it’s a miracle we had Ellie Garcia Kerstetter on this earth as long as we did. After all, no one lived and loved quite as hard — and with as much purpose — as she. Still, no number of heartbeats or days with Ellie was enough, and the news of her passing on September 29, 2022, after an intense battle with ALS was received with a sense of disbelief and dread.

Ellie was five feet of ferocity. She was loyal, foul-mouthed (typically in Spanish) and the absolute most fun to be around. When you spent time with her, you never knew what might happen – you might end up crying on her shoulder or dancing on a bar; volunteering at a legal clinic or attending a judicial investiture. Her genuine spontaneity shined a light in dreary corners of the world, and the fear that those dark corners may never be so bright again is all too real…

Her passion for advocacy extended far beyond the bench. She volunteered for numerous organizations with missions that were meaningful to her, including the Center for Women and Families, Adelante Hispanic Achievers, the Domestic Violence Prevention Coordinating Council, Goodwill Industries of Kentucky, the Kentucky/Indiana Hispanic Business Council, the Racial Fairness Commission, the University of Louisville Law Alumni Council and the Louisville Bar Association.

Ellie is survived by her husband David, her son Rafael Velazquez (Linette Santaliz) and his daughter, Sydney, on whom Ellie’s sun rose and set. She is also survived by her mother Blanca, her brother Gary Garcia, two step-grandchildren, Adriana and Sebastian Muntaner, and a large and loving family scattered across South Florida. Finally, she also leaves behind Jacques, her beloved and equally rambunctious Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.