In memoriam: Reidun Anderssen

It is with great sadness that we learned of the passing of Reidun Anderssen on March 12. For many years, Reidun was known across the UVic campus as “Mrs. Anderssen,” the very efficient and very organized coordinator of the Humanities Computing and Media Centre (formerly the Language and Listening Labs in the 1960s and later known as the Language Centre). She retired in 1992. Throughout all those years, Reidun was a very dedicated coordinator, running a very tight ship with great efficiency. She was truly an institution on campus, respected by all who knew her. Many members of the various language departments on campus will keep very fond memories of her as a person who knew, in a friendly and gentle way, how to command respect. Reidun was not the kind of person who could stay inactive during retirement, and she continued to be very involved on campus as a part-time Norwegian instructor for continuing studies, communicating to others the love of her native language and culture. During the last few weeks of her life, she generously donated a large collection of Norwegian resources to the university library, many of which she obtained through grants from the Norwegian government in recognition of the work she had done to spread the Norwegian language and culture. Reidun will be truly missed by all those in the university community who were fortunate enough to know her.

Contributed by Didier Bergeret, Division of Continuing Studies