Dr. Gordon Miller

When did you meet Thelma?	1970
In what capacity did you know Thelma?	I took her undergrad entomology course; she supervised my MSc (I was her first or second grad student); she lectured various MPM courses. For the almost 15 years I spent as an undergrad/grad student in Biological Sciences (culminating in a PhD under Dr. John Borden) Thelma was an advisor, mentor and friend.
Where are you now?	I spent most of my career with the Canadian Forest Service, first as a research scientist and then research manager. I retired four years ago and currently reside in Edmonton.
Wishes:	Dear Thelma (I still find it hard not to say Mrs. Finlayson even after all these years), Firstly, congratulations on reaching your centenary! SFU is a better place of education thanks to all your efforts. I can attest to this personally as a former undergrad and grad student who benefitted greatly from knowing you. I always appreciated our professional and personal conversations. You always offered thoughtful and constructive advice (smiling everyday really can influence your outlook on life). Your advice and mentorship greatly influenced my professional and personal development.  Your undergrad course and a look at the job board following my third year convinced me a career in entomology made much more sense than trying to become the next Jacques Cousteau.  Working on my M.Sc. under your supervision and your involvement in the M.P.M. Program were major reasons why I continued my academic career in entomology, specifically at SFU. Unfortunately, I was never able to even come close to developing your artistic skills in illustrating insects, a skill of which I have always been jealous. You were my second mom during my almost 15 years at SFU. While reminiscing about our time together, one moment that came leaping to mind was a certain Sunday when Joan and I helped moved some firewood with you. The notable part was the extra strong Bloody Mary's you made for us starting at 11:00 a.m. (I'm still recovering 35+ years later!). And of course, there were all the exposures to a variety of edible bugs during your soirees (which are permanently etched on Joan's mind!). Letting us store our furniture in your basement while we did five months in Brooks, Alberta, in the summer of 1976 was very much appreciated. Joan and I always enjoyed your company and hospitality even when you were concerned about not being as prepared as well as you would have liked. I am not sure what your standards were but I shudder at trying to attain them myself. You were always  very gracious and well prepared. In closing, Joan and I wish you all the best for centenary celebrations and hope to see you when we are in Vancouver this summer. Gord and Joan Miller