Helen Tanner '49: A Collegiate Treasure

Long before there was Facebook, Helen Tanner cornered the market on “Likes.”
To say she was the most popular Collegiate School teacher ever might be a stretch, but, hey, I challenge you to find one who during her 50 years in the classroom and 12 years of retirement attracted more followers, more admirers, or more friends who dropped by simply to spend time with her, share a story, and enjoy a laugh.
 
A celebrity? No doubt she’d scoff at that notion. Rock star? Imagine what she’d say to that!
 
The fact is, though, that students, graduates, colleagues, and well-wishers flocked to her in droves. The draw was her many reminiscences, often of her myriad shared excursions to France and all preserved in her sharp-as-a-tack memory. It was her humor, sometimes self-deprecating. It was her wisdom. It was the twinkle in her eye. It was her unmistakable aura.
 
A 1949 Collegiate graduate, Helen returned to her alma mater in 1956 and taught French (and advised the honor council) until her retirement in 2006. At various times, she chaired the foreign language department and served as sponsor for the Match and judicial board. She was twice the recipient of the Torch dedication. In 1991, she was honored with Collegiate’s Distinguished Alumni Service Award.
 
This past Sunday, Helen passed away after a period of declining health. She was 87 years old.
 
Helen Tanner is an institution, an icon, a treasure. Whether you traveled regularly with her, studied under her guidance, or knew her only briefly, her presence was enriching, her influence enduring, and her legacy indelible.
 
What follows are the thoughts, recollections, and reflections of several former students and colleagues, some of whom shared the journey with her for more than four decades.
 
Collegiate was in Helen’s blood and soul. Generations of Francophiles credit her with their love of France and the French way of life. Helen nurtured new teachers and took them under her wing. Her humanity was genuine. She grew up in the Fan and had a connection with the city.  She never ceased to care for the needs of Richmond inner city.
     Maria Benson, French teacher
 
Helen was so loving. She had enormous patience with kids and never forgot a student. She was so knowledgeable. French is not an easy language to speak or teach, and she was the grammarian for everybody. The kids used to call her the Energizer Bunny because she never wound down. She really put her best foot forward. You so appreciated the person that she was, so positive and enthusiastic.
     Kaye Hickey, retired French teacher
 
Miss Tanner’s unwavering devotion to truth, integrity, and honesty served as a paradigm for generations of Collegiate students and faculty.  She made it clear that your honor was the only thing people couldn’t take away from you. Miss Tanner guided us as we made honor a part of our everyday lives, not just at school. Change is inevitable in any school. Over the years as Collegiate faced some significant challenges and changes, Helen faced each with grace and always possessed a “we will go through this and be a better school for it” attitude. She served as a role model and an inspiration as we began our teaching  careers and grew as professionals.
    
Missy Herod ’72, associate director of student life
 
Helen interviewed me in 1986 for my job at Collegiate. She was the foreign language department chair at the time. That challenging year I began to question my choice of careers. Thanks to Helen's kindness, sense of humor, calm nature, and sage advice, I fell in love with teaching at Collegiate. I shall always remember that she convened the entire department in the back of the library to help assuage my irrational fears the afternoon of my first Patrons Night. I still think of her every Parents Night, remember that kind gesture, and try to summon my inner calm Helen. 
     Val Siff, French teacher, modern language department chair
 
Helen cared deeply about her students.  She took such interest and joy in hearing what they were doing, not just their accomplishments, but also their day-to-day lives.  She followed them well beyond the classroom. They were not just her former students but her dear friends. My girls and I have fond memories of listening to Helen recount stories about her days as a student and then teacher at Collegiate as well as her travels in France.  Helen knew France like the back of her hand. Whether you were visiting Paris or a remote village, she could tell you exactly what to see and do.  She also had many close friends in France.  These were lifelong friendships that extended from one generation to the next, true testimony to the genuine interest she took in others and her never-ending love for the French and their culture.   
     Holly Fairlamb ’82, French teacher
 
Helen was a legend. She was Collegiate’s conscience. She lived the school’s core values and helped her students live them also through integrity, honor, and kindness toward others. Her loyalty to Collegiate had no equal. I among many will always feel grateful to Helen for how she inspired her students and followed them through their careers. She shared her love of learning. She was unique. We shall miss her and keep different memories of her and will always be grateful for how she enriched our lives.
     Christiane Rimbault, retired French teacher
 
Helen was the last link to the magical days of the old Girls School. She attended the Town School and loved to reminisce about her time there: the teachers, her childhood friends, and being able to hear the morning bell at her home on West Avenue. Helen excelled in creating friendships that would last a lifetime. Her kindness, humor, and genuine interest in others were some of her gifts. She was one of those rare souls who was a touchstone for me through the years: a kind, gentle person and a loyal friend.
     Laura Hall ’68
 
I was on Helen’s first student trip to France in 1974. We had so much fun because Helen was so much fun. Her sense of humor kept us going. She loved nothing more in recent years than reminiscing about times we shared together. She had friends all over. Every day since she retired, people always popped in to see her. She was a friend everybody wants to have. She made a real difference and a lasting impact. She really did.
    
Elizabeth Cogar ‘77
     -- Weldon Bradshaw
 
(Please click here to view Allen Chamberlain's interview with Helen Tanner in the Julia Williams Archives.)
 
 
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