No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeArchiveAuthor, Longtime C.R. Resident Passes on at 88

Author, Longtime C.R. Resident Passes on at 88

Mavis Hiltunen Biesanz was born July 27, 1919, to Finnish-U.S. parents in VermilionTownship, a farm community settled mostly by Finnish immigrants near Tower, Minnesota, on LakeVermilion.

She graduated from EmbarrassHigh School in 1936 and attended Winona State College in Winona,Minnesota, before transferring to the University of Iowa. In June 1940, she graduated Phi Beta Kappa and summa cum laude. Three months after graduation, she married John Biesanz, a professor of sociology.

She and John lived and traveled in many countries while researching and writing several sociological books. They came to Costa Rica on their honeymoon in 1941 and wrote the classic book, “Costa Rican Life.” They loved the country so much that they retired here permanently in 1971.

Mavis wrote many books. She co-authored “The Costa Ricans” and “The Ticos”with her son, Richard, and his wife, Karen. In her later years she wrote “Helmi Mavis: A Finnish American Girlhood,” which was a memoir of her childhood on her parent’s farm in Minnesota. Her last book, “Un Año con Carmen” was published by the StateUniversity at a Distance (UNED) editorial division in December. It contained original fiction and poems that she wrote and translated in English and Spanish.

Her eldest son Richard is now a professor of sociology at CorningCommunity College in Corning, New York. Second son Barry is an internationally recognized fine woodworker living in the western San José suburb of Escazú. Daughter Katja is a professional modern dancer, choreographer and therapist in Portland, Oregon. Mavis also had five grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

Mavis was a fixture in the Women’s Book Club, an avid Scrabble player and a devoted philanthropist who helped many students achieve their educational dreams.

Mavis passed away peacefully Feb. 21 at the age of 88, at CIMAHospital in Escazú, surrounded by her children and grandchildren.

 

Trending Now

San Jose Airport Achieves Top 5 Global Ranking in Passenger Experience

Juan Santamaría International Airport in San Jose, Costa Rica's main gateway managed by AERIS, has earned the prestigious Level 5 Customer Experience certification from...

Guatemala Prisons Erupt in Violence With Guards and Workers Taken Hostage

Gang members rioted this Friday in two prisons in Guatemala and took several guards and civilian employees hostage, a week after uprisings in which...

Costa Rica’s Cerro Chirripó Ancient Ice Age Legacy Uncovered

Cerro Chirripó, Costa Rica’s highest peak at 3,820 meters above sea level, was the focus of a recent lecture at the National University’s Brunca...

Outrage in Costa Rica After Man Suspected of Killing 14 Dogs Is Released

A man identified by the surnames Ulloa Bustos, suspected of killing at least 14 dogs in the rural town of Pocora, was released after...

Former Costa Rican President Miguel Ángel Rodríguez Faces Trial

Miguel Ángel Rodríguez, who served as Costa Rica’s president from 1998 to 2002, returned to court on today, to face charges in the so-called...

Costa Rica President Confronts Calls to Strip Immunity

Costa Rican President Rodrigo Chaves denounced today an “attempted judicial coup” as he appeared before a congressional committee that must recommend to the full...
Avatar
spot_img
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Rocking Chait
Costa Rica Travel

Latest News from Costa Rica