Cornelia Cerf Obituary

Cornelia Cerf
Aug. 10, 1921 - Feb. 27, 2021
Cornelia Cerf, known as Nelie to most of her family and friends.
She died at peace with herself and her God, Sunday, Feb. 27, 2021. At 99 years of age she had a long and fulfilled life.
She graduated from Lincoln High School in 1939 and Smith College in 1944. She received a masters degree from the University of Arizona in 1966. Taught modern dance at Smith, at the International Institute in Madrid, and throughout the Portland area primarily at the Civic Theatre school and Marylhurst College. In 1963 she joined the Marylhurst faculty as full time teacher of Spanish and Dance. She formed the Spanish Pueblo dancers, a company which performed Spanish regional dances throughout the Northwest. After retirement, she became an active volunteer for Amnesty International and animal protection groups.
Cornelia is survived by her favorite three nephews, Barry L. Treyve of Neotsu, Ore., Barry J. Cerf of Blue Ridge Summit, Md., and Edward L. Treyve of Bainbridge Island, Wash. Also multiple grand nephews and nieces.
No services scheduled at this time. Contributions may be made in her name to the Portland chapter of Amnesty International, or In Defense of Animals.
Please sign the online guest book at www.oregonlive.com/obits

Published by The Oregonian from Mar. 5 to Mar. 7, 2021.
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Memories and Condolences
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Nele was a person who put her caring thoughts into practice. Her involvement in the Portland- Cortinto Sister City Association is warmly remembered.

Francie Royce

August 24, 2023

Here is Cornelia at Neahkahnie, Oregon. She was a childhood friend of my mother and aunt (Victoria and Jane Hartwell) so I have many pictures of her in the family albums.This picture makes her look as the sort that would end up in the arts.

Robert Livingston

Other

March 2, 2023

Nelie and my mother met during a summer in Mexico where they studied dance. In later years, I continued the friendship and visited with her in Oregon in 1999. What fun she was! Talented and remarkable intellect. The world was a better place for her presence.

Susan A. Herney

December 27, 2021

I met Cornelia at a Colonial Dames meeting. I did an interview with her and two others when I was Historical Activities Chairman. It turned out that we had other connections. My maternal grandmother was her aunts room mate at Smith College. They both had summer places at Little Compton, RI. My husband's aunt, Mrs. Carter, taught modern dance at Reed to Cornelia. We met often at the symphony and eventually had seats together. I was wondering who in the family would be interested in having a written copy of the interview. I will miss her and lost contact with her when she was moved from her assisted living arrangement that allowed her to have her cat.

Jonathan and Marjorie Nichols

Friend

April 25, 2021

In 1972, when my four year old daughter Wendy was enrolled in
the Human Development Laboratory (a pre-school) at Marylhurst
College, Ms. Cerf allowed me to participate in her classes of
Regional Iberian Dances. When the college closed, the participants
continued, under her artistic directorship, as The Pueblo Dancers.

We moved from Portland to Salt Lake City in 1976. My initial reluc-
tance was leaving the Pueblo Dancers. Ms. Cerf assured me that
Utah had an avid sponsorship of performance art. And, she suggested
that it was time to “go out on your own,” which I did.

Ms.Cerf's continued mentorship via correspondence and my occasional
visits to Portland for her tutorials, carried me through. In 1979,
my application to perform, with the Pueblo Dancers of Oregon, in the Salt
City Lake Art Council’s Brown Bag Series was granted. She and seven
of her performers flew here that July.

From the time she allowed my two pre-schoolers to watch her
Spanish dance classes, to attending both their weddings, and then my
50th wedding anniversary, Ms. Cerf had been a constant, valued presence
in our family’s orbit for approximately five decades.

Linda Thorn Bevins

Friend

March 30, 2021

Pam Simpson

March 20, 2021

Donna Slepack

Friend

March 11, 2021

I met Cornelia in the 1970s. We stood together in front of the old Meier and Frank store to gather signatures for a ballot measure to ban the leg-hold trap in Oregon. She was a great advocate for animals.

Sally Needham

Friend

March 7, 2021

Cornelia was a wonderful person. She was one of the earliest members of the Portland Group of Amnesty International, and it probably would not have survived without her efforts. She was also an animal lover, and she didn't just contribute financially to dog charities, she also volunteered to walk the dogs. She really practiced her values!

Jane Kristof

Friend

March 7, 2021

Thanks so much to Barry for calling to let us know about Cornelia’s passing. I met her in 1987 when she welcomed me into Portland’s Group 48 Amnesty International chapter. She hosted new member get-togethers at her gorgeous home on Woodland Way, as well as annual parties (until Jane took over hosting annual picnics). She taught me so much about human rights, and set me a great example with her diligent letter-writing on behalf of prisoners of conscience all over the world. The attached picture shows her as the guest of honor at Jane’s Yamhill farm in 2018 where we also celebrated her birthday. I always enjoyed seeing her with one of her dogs who matched or perhaps exceeded her in weight – I can still see the two of them coming down the stairs from her apartment over the garage. Cornelia continued to tackle those stairs on a daily basis long after most of the rest of us would have lost our ability – I suppose that dance was one of the things that kept her young. Cornelia may have been petite in size, but she was a giant in my estimation – full of full of life and light and care for others. She is mourned but her spirit will carry on.

Tena Hoke

Friend

March 7, 2021

Nellie was a dear friend of our parents. She taught with our father in the late 1950s and early 1960s at Marylhurst College and became a lifelong friend of our parents. She loaned us our dining room table for years so our huge family could fit around the table. When I was in high school, she helped me with my Spanish class. And as an adult trying to get light rail into Clackamas County, I could depend on her and he platoon of liberal friends to testify at City of Milwaukie hearings. She was a treasure.

Tom Markgraf

Friend

March 7, 2021

I was a student at Marylhurst and an actor with Kay Lee's Playbox Players when I met Cornelia Cerf. I have never forgotten dancing in her class and working with her on theatre projects. Nor have I forgotten the visit to her family home in Milwaukie. She'd invited a few of us to visit. Nelie was an incredible artist and individual. She continued to keep us abreast of her activities and urge us to participate with her in whatever protest she had going at the moment. Her passion for life, art and human dignity lives on.

Chrisse Roccaro

Friend

March 7, 2021

I met Neiie through my late wife Joyce Kraft Hamreus. Joyce was a long time member in Nelie's Spanish Pueblo Dance group for more than 30 years. She was a wonderful person blessed by god and touched many hearts. I suspect she and Joyce are dancing their hearts out.
My love to her Family. Please let me know of any plans to celebrate her life.
Calvin Hamreus

calvin Hamreus

Friend

March 7, 2021

I met Cornelia many years ago through Barbara Roessner, my former high school Spanish teacher and dear friend. She danced with Cornelia and passed that on to her students. I was part of a group of amazing women that still meets as a book club. We read Spanish novels and literature, enjoy delicious food, great wine and conversation in Spanish. I always loved going to Cornelia’s, eating her amazing vegetarian cooking in the splendor of the big house’s classic dining room. I was sorry not to be able to visit her once The COVID pandemic started. I can’t imagine how lonely that must have been for her at the end. I will always remember Cornelia and her deep love of animals and political convictions. She was an extremely talented, intelligent and independent woman. My condolences to you, her family.
Sincerely, Barbara Spisla

Barbara Spisla

Friend

March 6, 2021

She was my Modern and Spanish dance instructor while I was at Marylhurst College in the early 70s. I kept in touch with her and was able to take her to see performances towards the end of her life. Twyla Tharp, Martha Graham, Paul Taylor, and Alvin Ailey. Brought back memories of when we'd do that as students in College. Loved her political enthusiasm as well.

Pam Simpson

Student

March 6, 2021

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