Saratoga News

Photograph by Robert Scheer

Elisabeth Telfer celebrated her 103rd birthday Dec. 6 at the former Odd Fellows Home in Saratoga.

Resident celebrates her 103rd birthday

A math whiz, Telfer did algebra problems for fun

By Carolyn Leal

Elisabeth Telfer, a former school teacher and longtime member of the Eastern Star fraternal organization, celebrated her 103rd birthday Dec. 6 at the California Retirement Home in Saratoga, previously known as the Odd Fellows Home.

Mrs. Telfer was born Dec. 6, 1893, in San Jose and, according to her son, Richard Telfer, she remembers riding a street car down the Alameda and traveling to Pescadero by stagecoach.

Until recent years, she tallied her checkbooks and filled out income tax forms sent by her accountant.

"She could do any arithmetic," said her son, a college math instructor. He used to bring his mother algebra textbooks, and she would work the problems as a mind exercise, he said. Until her eyesight declined in recent years, she loved to do crossword puzzles.

"She would write the Dow Jones average on the calendar every day," recalled daughter Eleanor Dunton.

Mrs. Telfer graduated from Pacific Grove High School and from San Jose Normal School, now San Jose State University. She worked as a home school teacher for the San Jose Unified School District, teaching children who were unable to attend school.

Her paternal grandfather, James Bean, and his brother Joel came from Iowa and donated land and building materials for the Friends Meeting Hall in San Jose, which is still in use. Her father, George Bean, worked in real estate and survived the 1906 San Francisco earthquake.

Mrs. Telfer joined the El Camino Embroidery Club at age 18 and made things for soldiers in World War I. Until last year, the club's four remaining members were still meeting, sewing and talking about their lives.

Said to be an excellent writer, Mrs. Telfer wrote historical articles for the Trailblazer, a publication of the California Pioneers. One of Mrs. Telfer's aunts, Alice Woods, was said to be the first female doctor in California. And her mother's brother, Victor Woods, was surveyor general of California.

Mrs. Telfer and her former husband Earl Telfer, an engineer, were divorced and he died when he was 63. Her oldest son, Alan, died in the service in World War II. A daughter, Jean, died a few years ago, leaving two grown children: Richard, who lives in Soquel, and Eleanor Dunton of Placerville. There are seven grandchildren and several great-grandchildren.

Each year on her birthday, Mrs. Telfer is visited by a small group of Eastern Star members who have "adopted" her, said her son.