Tasoula and Len Berggren

Wishes:

It was in the early seventies when Thelma invited us to her house to a party and we have remained close friends ever since. Thelma and I met frequently at events of the University Women’s Club of Coquitlam and we enjoyed many evenings playing bridge with the CFUW bridge group. Also Thelma was for me an example in life, and she supported and encouraged me when I started the conferences “Women Do Math” at SFU. After the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974 my nephew Michael and his family came to Canada. Michael took a course from Thelma and he loved it.  On our return from our sabbatical year at Yale he was telling me about the courses he enjoyed most at SFU and mentioned Thelma. Later on, I talked to Thelma who asked me what was his name and I was impressed that she remembered him and after that Thelma always asked me about how he was doing. Thelma loved her students and she was genially interested in them. I admired Thelma’s achievements, her kindness and her true friendship. We went together to events, to lunches with friends, and had elegant dinners in her apartment and in our house. This is what my husband, Len, noted in his diary on Thursday, September 16, 2010 “Thelma Finlayson (now 96 years old) treated us to dinner at Sokela Restaurant up the hill, and then a liqueur at her apartment near Lougheed Mall”. Now we join the many friends to wish our centenarian, dearest Thelma, Happy Birthday and Many Happy Returns.