Dear Lina and Paul, I was so very saddened to learn of the passing of your Mother, our much-loved Miss Nelly Gygax. She was a wonderful teacher, so encouraging to me as a shy grade school student at Colegio Bolivar. After I moved to Cali in 3rd grade, your Mom worked with me to bring my Spanish up to a level where by 5th grade I could mainstream into the Spanish class with all the native speakers. I’ll never forget her standing me up in front of the whole class to praise this accomplishment. She added so much to my self-confidence at a time when I had very little. Her family home was very near where we lived in the San Fernando neighborhood. Once, we got up the courage on a weekend to drop in to visit her unannounced. She was so gracious, offering us drinks and snacks and delighting us with stories about her family. My favorite was the story about how her father had kept a wild cat raised from birth in their house. I am not certain now whether this was a lion or tiger cub. All was well until the day a maid left out some raw meat which was to be prepared for dinner. After the cat ate it, it was no longer possible to keep him in the house and he was moved to a zoo. Your Mom was my favorite teacher during those grade school years, and her support and enthusiasm are part of the memories I will treasure forever. Please know there are many of us who mourn her passing with you. Your Mother was a gift to all of us. Con mucho carino Maryann Maryann Hutchison Los Altos, CA Colegio Bolivar, 1954 - 57