The French Conversation Group bids a fond farewell to Nancy Creger, who passed away on August 17 at the age of 92. Nancy was the beloved leader of the French Conversation Group for a half-century. Under her leadership, the group grew to be one of the most popular sections of the SUWC, meeting every week during the academic year. Nancy and her late husband, William Creger of the Medical School, bought their house on Cabrillo Ave in 1956, and for many years they hosted a “Déjeuner sous les arbres” for the group every spring on their shade-dappled patio.

Before Nancy took the helm, our group was not as organized as now, and members even spoke English! Nancy was very disciplined and encouraged everyone to not only socialize but also make an effort to improve their French. The format Nancy established continues to this day, with a half-hour of socializing over coffee, followed by an hour of conversation in French. We’ve formed many friendships and also improved our French-speaking skills.

The first quarter-century of Nancy’s tenure, before computers were such an integral part of our lives, Nancy used to write out the membership list in beautiful calligraphy. Nancy was always welcoming and charming, and she always had a smile on her face; we never heard a complaint or any negativity. We always admired her serenity and aspire to age as gracefully as she did.