In the spring of 1967, the University of Waterloo welcomed their first graduating class to receive a Bachelor of Mathematics from the new Faculty of Mathematics. On that sun-filled day, the first person to be awarded a BMath, the only one of its kind in the world, was a bright, young woman from Waterloo.
Jean Elizabeth Anthes (BMath’67, MMath’ 68) was born on Pi Day (March 14), 1945. The notable birthdate, shared by Einstein, destined her to be a mathematician, says sister Lorraine Armstrong.
From a young age, Jean demonstrated a sharp and logical intellect and eidetic memory. She was drawn to the analytical precision of math, and excelled throughout school.
As children, she and her siblings were encouraged to pursue learning and higher education. The University of Waterloo was home to their father, a Professor of Electrical Engineering. Jean and three of her five siblings would join him at the ambitious fledgling institution, which was no more than a few buildings on farmland.
“The University of Waterloo already had an excellent reputation for mathematics in the early sixties,” says Armstrong. Even then, the implicit assumptions of who is good at math were present. “At the time that Jean graduated with her BMath, there were few women in her class.”
Following the completion of her undergraduate degree, Jean’s parents strongly encouraged her to stay on to complete her Master’s degree – making Jean not only the Faculty’s first person to receive a BMath, but our first female MMath as well.
After graduation, math continued to play an important role in Jean's professional life, first as a teacher, then a tax administrator, before she and a business partner were bit by the entrepreneurial bug. They started their own estate accounting practice in 1989.
Jean’s love of math was also present in her passions, knitting and piano. Jean generously gave her math talents to her church and the Toronto Knitters Guild, serving as treasurer for many years.
Jean passed away unexpectantly in June of 2016, but continues to be fondly remembered. She carried the pride of her academic accomplishments throughout her life.
In her family’s tribute to Jean, the first line that follows the listing of the family she cherished so deeply, reads:
Jean studied at the University of Waterloo, graduating with her Honours Bachelor of Mathematics and Masters of Mathematics.
Her family is sure she would be extremely proud of all the women in math being celebrated on the second International Women in Math Day (May 12, 2020).
"My big regret," says Armstrong, "is that [Jean] isn’t here to experience this special honour. How pleased she would be – in her own quiet way!”
