Fall Newsletter 2018

TIL MINNE
OM ALTHEA
Nordic Northwest would not be where it is
today without the late Althea Murrell Langberg
Gray-Gauthier. To name only some of her
contributions: she was a longtime member of
Nordic Northwest and a member of the SHF
Founders Club, she served many terms on the
Board of Directors, as Treasurer and on the
Executive Committee and was a very active
volunteer at ScanFair and with the Lucia Court.
She was very active
in Portland's Nordic
community and
community at large.
Many organizations
benefitted from her
involvement including
the Frida Hansen
Lodge #37, Daughters
of Norway—where
she served as their first
treasurer and as Grand
Lodge Chaplain—
Grieg Lodge and the
Scandinavian Club. In 2003, Althea was honored
with the Niskanen Award, a prestigious award
given to outstanding leaders in the Nordic
community.
Althea shared her significant creative and
administrative talents to better the community.
She took responsibility for many successful
programs, was always available to assist when
asked and baked the best cookies! Althea was
an elegant artist, an able administrator and an
inspiring Norwegian spirit.
Althea is survived by American and Norwegian
cousins, numerous nieces and nephews of Buck
Gray, the family of Bob Gauthier and many
faithful and loyal friends. •
Text and Image provided by Marian Thompson
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR SEARCH
Nordic Northwest is looking for a leader who can
embrace our organization's long-cherished traditions
and ideals and move the organization forward. This
leader will help the community remember and learn
about its cultural and historic past, while ushering in
a new era of engagement and appreciation for what
Nordic culture can bring to the community tomorrow.
The ideal candidate will be a talented fundraising
professional, with a solid track record of building
donor relationships using a hands-on approach to
cultivate and steward donors so they are inspired to
give generously and consistently. This crucial work is
necessary to move Nordic Northwest forward to a
sustainable future. Our ideal candidate will also be
a strong leader, skilled at creating and motivating
solid teams of staff and volunteers. The successful
candidate will be a strategic and big picture
thinker, while simultaneously assuring operational
effectiveness to create success. To apply, please see
the listing on Mac's List or visit www.nordicnorthwest.
org/careers. •
JAZZ AT NORDIA HOUSE
Denmark has proud traditions when it comes to jazz
violin. Svend Asmussen was beloved across Scandinavia
and has been called “The Fiddling Viking” even in
the United States. Danish-born and Grammy-winning
violinist Mads Tolling and guitarist Jacob Fischer, who
was a member of Svend Asmussen’s quartet, will be
performing a selection of Asmussen’s work at Nordia
House on a stop on their international tour!
Mads has lived in the United States since 2000, where
he began his studies at Berklee College of Music in
Boston. Soon after he was discovered by French jazz
violinist, Jean-Luc Ponty, who recommended him to join
bassist Stanley Clarke’s band. This encounter led to
eight years of touring and recording with Clarke. Mads
has performed with some of the biggest names in jazz
including Ramsey Lewis, Kenny Barron, Chick Corea and
Paquito D’Rivera, and he has won two Grammy Awards
as part of string group Turtle Island Quartet.
Mads Tolling and Jacob Fischer have released an
album now available for their US and Canada tour:
Celebrating Svend Asmussen. Save the date for their
performance on October 19 th , 7:00 PM at Nordia
House. Sponsored by Scan|Design Foundation. •
DID YOU KNOW?
The Hansen House, the largest stuga
on the Fogelbo lawn, is undergoing
thorough cleaning and maintenance for
its structural safety and capacity for new
long term uses!