Mrs Lenz was my math teacher in Grade 9. She was tough, but she was nurturing as well. She left that school at the end of my Gr 9 year (50 years ago), but she told our class where she was going and invited us to visit her there if we ever needed help. I sought her out whenever I needed help with highschool math. She never turned me away or showed impatience.
I remember her working through a math problem on the chalkboard as she explained what she was doing to the class. When done, she would take a step back and say "Isn't that a thing of beauty?" We'd roll our eyes, but she truly loved math, loved teaching math, and loved her students.
Mrs Lenz is one of the few teachers whose name I remember. She had a profound impact on me. She was an amazing teacher and mentor; a grand lady.
My deepest condolences to her family.
