Elizabeth Andrews Tessem, 95, of Royal Oak,[Oakland County, Michigan] died Friday, April 18, 2008, at her home. She was born Nov. 2, 1912, in Emporia, [Lyon County] Kansas, to the late Mr. and Mrs. S.T. Andrews.
Mrs. Tessem moved from Kansas to Royal Oak in 1941 to teach French and Spanish at Dondero High School, where she met Sylvanus L. Tessem, teacher of world history. They married in 1948. After the birth of their only child, Rolfe, Mrs. Tessem left teaching for a decade and then returned to teach part time at Roeper City and Country School for gifted children in Bloomfield Hills.
In 1964, she returned to secondary education at Wylie E. Groves High School, Birmingham, [Oakland County, Michigan]where she taught French until her retirement in 1978. Mrs. Tessem received the highest honors in her field; she was named teacher of the year in 1977 and in 1978, the French government awarded her the Palmes Academiques, officer level, for her efforts in encouraging excellence in the French language and culture in her French classes and French Club activities.
Mrs. Tessem attended Kansas State Teachers College (now Emoria State University), Emporia, and received her master's degree from Middlebury College, Middlebury, Vermont. She also studied at the Sorbonne and the University of Paris, and traveled extensively in France.
Mrs. Tessem had thought she would miss her students when she retired. She later said she had the best of both worlds: the leisure of retirement and still the friendship of many of her former students who would not let her forget them. Holidays brought gatherings to her home and she was the guest at many of their social events. On the occasion of her 90th birthday, former students came from all across the country to help her celebrate.
She was predeceased by her husband in 1980. Surviving are her son, Rolfe S. Tessem, television producer and co-owner of Lucky Duck Productions, New York City, and his partner in work and life, Linda Ellerbee.
Memorial service, 2 p.m. Tuesday, Lynch & Sons Funeral Home, 1368 N. Crooks, Clawson; private burial. Memorial donations in lieu of flowers may be made to: Sherman T. Andrews Memorial Park, Neosho Rapids, Kansas; or The Neosho Rapids Community Center, c/o Boosingers, RR 1, Box 6, Neosho Rapids, KN 66864.
The Daily Tribune, published April 21, 2008, Michigan
http://www.dailytribune.com/stories/042108/obi_obits05.shtml
Mrs. Tessem moved from Kansas to Royal Oak in 1941 to teach French and Spanish at Dondero High School, where she met Sylvanus L. Tessem, teacher of world history. They married in 1948. After the birth of their only child, Rolfe, Mrs. Tessem left teaching for a decade and then returned to teach part time at Roeper City and Country School for gifted children in Bloomfield Hills.
In 1964, she returned to secondary education at Wylie E. Groves High School, Birmingham, [Oakland County, Michigan]where she taught French until her retirement in 1978. Mrs. Tessem received the highest honors in her field; she was named teacher of the year in 1977 and in 1978, the French government awarded her the Palmes Academiques, officer level, for her efforts in encouraging excellence in the French language and culture in her French classes and French Club activities.
Mrs. Tessem attended Kansas State Teachers College (now Emoria State University), Emporia, and received her master's degree from Middlebury College, Middlebury, Vermont. She also studied at the Sorbonne and the University of Paris, and traveled extensively in France.
Mrs. Tessem had thought she would miss her students when she retired. She later said she had the best of both worlds: the leisure of retirement and still the friendship of many of her former students who would not let her forget them. Holidays brought gatherings to her home and she was the guest at many of their social events. On the occasion of her 90th birthday, former students came from all across the country to help her celebrate.
She was predeceased by her husband in 1980. Surviving are her son, Rolfe S. Tessem, television producer and co-owner of Lucky Duck Productions, New York City, and his partner in work and life, Linda Ellerbee.
Memorial service, 2 p.m. Tuesday, Lynch & Sons Funeral Home, 1368 N. Crooks, Clawson; private burial. Memorial donations in lieu of flowers may be made to: Sherman T. Andrews Memorial Park, Neosho Rapids, Kansas; or The Neosho Rapids Community Center, c/o Boosingers, RR 1, Box 6, Neosho Rapids, KN 66864.
The Daily Tribune, published April 21, 2008, Michigan
http://www.dailytribune.com/stories/042108/obi_obits05.shtml
Elizabeth Andrews Tessem, 95, of Royal Oak,[Oakland County, Michigan] died Friday, April 18, 2008, at her home. She was born Nov. 2, 1912, in Emporia, [Lyon County] Kansas, to the late Mr. and Mrs. S.T. Andrews.
Mrs. Tessem moved from Kansas to Royal Oak in 1941 to teach French and Spanish at Dondero High School, where she met Sylvanus L. Tessem, teacher of world history. They married in 1948. After the birth of their only child, Rolfe, Mrs. Tessem left teaching for a decade and then returned to teach part time at Roeper City and Country School for gifted children in Bloomfield Hills.
In 1964, she returned to secondary education at Wylie E. Groves High School, Birmingham, [Oakland County, Michigan]where she taught French until her retirement in 1978. Mrs. Tessem received the highest honors in her field; she was named teacher of the year in 1977 and in 1978, the French government awarded her the Palmes Academiques, officer level, for her efforts in encouraging excellence in the French language and culture in her French classes and French Club activities.
Mrs. Tessem attended Kansas State Teachers College (now Emoria State University), Emporia, and received her master's degree from Middlebury College, Middlebury, Vermont. She also studied at the Sorbonne and the University of Paris, and traveled extensively in France.
Mrs. Tessem had thought she would miss her students when she retired. She later said she had the best of both worlds: the leisure of retirement and still the friendship of many of her former students who would not let her forget them. Holidays brought gatherings to her home and she was the guest at many of their social events. On the occasion of her 90th birthday, former students came from all across the country to help her celebrate.
She was predeceased by her husband in 1980. Surviving are her son, Rolfe S. Tessem, television producer and co-owner of Lucky Duck Productions, New York City, and his partner in work and life, Linda Ellerbee.
Memorial service, 2 p.m. Tuesday, Lynch & Sons Funeral Home, 1368 N. Crooks, Clawson; private burial. Memorial donations in lieu of flowers may be made to: Sherman T. Andrews Memorial Park, Neosho Rapids, Kansas; or The Neosho Rapids Community Center, c/o Boosingers, RR 1, Box 6, Neosho Rapids, KN 66864.
The Daily Tribune, published April 21, 2008, Michigan
http://www.dailytribune.com/stories/042108/obi_obits05.shtml
Mrs. Tessem moved from Kansas to Royal Oak in 1941 to teach French and Spanish at Dondero High School, where she met Sylvanus L. Tessem, teacher of world history. They married in 1948. After the birth of their only child, Rolfe, Mrs. Tessem left teaching for a decade and then returned to teach part time at Roeper City and Country School for gifted children in Bloomfield Hills.
In 1964, she returned to secondary education at Wylie E. Groves High School, Birmingham, [Oakland County, Michigan]where she taught French until her retirement in 1978. Mrs. Tessem received the highest honors in her field; she was named teacher of the year in 1977 and in 1978, the French government awarded her the Palmes Academiques, officer level, for her efforts in encouraging excellence in the French language and culture in her French classes and French Club activities.
Mrs. Tessem attended Kansas State Teachers College (now Emoria State University), Emporia, and received her master's degree from Middlebury College, Middlebury, Vermont. She also studied at the Sorbonne and the University of Paris, and traveled extensively in France.
Mrs. Tessem had thought she would miss her students when she retired. She later said she had the best of both worlds: the leisure of retirement and still the friendship of many of her former students who would not let her forget them. Holidays brought gatherings to her home and she was the guest at many of their social events. On the occasion of her 90th birthday, former students came from all across the country to help her celebrate.
She was predeceased by her husband in 1980. Surviving are her son, Rolfe S. Tessem, television producer and co-owner of Lucky Duck Productions, New York City, and his partner in work and life, Linda Ellerbee.
Memorial service, 2 p.m. Tuesday, Lynch & Sons Funeral Home, 1368 N. Crooks, Clawson; private burial. Memorial donations in lieu of flowers may be made to: Sherman T. Andrews Memorial Park, Neosho Rapids, Kansas; or The Neosho Rapids Community Center, c/o Boosingers, RR 1, Box 6, Neosho Rapids, KN 66864.
The Daily Tribune, published April 21, 2008, Michigan
http://www.dailytribune.com/stories/042108/obi_obits05.shtml
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