“La mort ne nous enlève pas les êtres aimés; au contraire
elle nous les garde et les rend immortels par le souvenir".
François Mauriac

	Judge Ángel Hermida, during the commemorative ceremony, which honored his mother, professor Hermida.

A bright Sunday morning served as the prelude for the ceremony. On the table, there was a flowered urn. In the corner sat a small white oak tree. The gathering’s purpose was to perpetuate the life of Teresa Beatriz Nadal Grau, widow of Hermida, retired professor of the College of Agriculture and Mechanical Arts of Mayagüez (CAAM by its Spanish acronym).

Her family members, friends, co-workers and even a few of her formers students gathered in the fresh air this past February 8, 2009 along side the Chardón Building of the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez (UPRM). There, the ashes of professor Nadal, widow of Hermida, became one with the earth to aid in the nurturing the new tree.

Madame Hermida, as she was known among her students and colleagues, passed away on January 18, 2009 at the age of 97. The Spanish and French professor worked at UPRM from 1946-1973. Now the campus of the University she served receives her in a special way to honor her.

“We should not consider this occasion as marking her death, but as celebrating her life; a life full, full of love and service. And, now when we spread her ashes we will focus more than anything on the planting of a small tree, a symbol of life and of growth. We are confident that this tree will grow such as the knowledge of the thousands of students, which for many years passed through her classroom door grew,” commented Judge Ángel Hermida Nadal, the professor’s only son, seconds before the planting of the white oak tree.

During the commemorative activity, organized by the Association of Retired Professors of the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez, several of the professor’s co-workers remembered her with stories and even with the interpretation of the melody La Vie en Rose, a song that she taught to her students.

Doctor Manuel Rodríguez Perazza, president of the aforementioned entity, which reunites UPRM retired professors, also mentioned the symbolic importance of the continuance of life that is represented by the planting of a tree in memory of Madame Hermida.

“Every whisper of the wind in its branches, every birdsong we hear, every flash of light in its green leaves will pay tribute to her. It will honor her temporary presence on the earth and on this green campus where she shared her knowledge with thousands of students through a fruitful life dedicated to teaching,” said Rodríguez Perazza.

UPRM chancellor, doctor Jorge Iván Vélez Arocho, indicated that through this commemorative act “we celebrate the good that she did as a professor in this Institution and that which her family has continued to do.”

The Catholic Daughters of America and the Association of Civic Women of Mayagüez, entities of which she was a member, also partook in the ceremony that ended with the Notre Père. And that’s how the tree took its place at UPRM, Madame Hermida’s tree, or l’arbre de Madame Hermida.

[ View ] Message from Judge Ángel Hermida for the commemorative activity in honor of Madame Teresa Hermida.

UPRM chancellor, Jorge I. Vélez Arocho, speaks to those present at the special ceremony.

Retired professor, Lucila Zapata told some of the special moments of her life that she shared with Madame Hermida.

Carmen Rita García interpreted La Vie en Rose.		Judge Ángel Hermida plants a white oak in memory of his mother, professor Hermida.

Members of the Association of Retired Professors of UPRM, the Catholic Daughters of America, and the Association of Civic Women of Mayagüez were present at the ceremony.

In front of the newly planted tree, from the left: Adrián Nelson Ramírez, doctor Manuel Rogríguez Perazza, Edsel Ramírez, Tere Hermida, Evelyn Espada de Hermida, Judge Ángel Hermida and chancellor Jorge I. Vélez Arocho.

Photographs by Carlos Díaz / UPRM Press