Caren Lea Diefenderfer ’73

Caren Lea Diefenderfer ’73 died of breast cancer on March 30 in Roanoke, Virginia. A native of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, she graduated from Louis E. Dieruff High School in Allentown, Pennsylvania, and came to Dartmouth in her junior year as a transfer student from Smith College. At the College Caren majored in mathematics, was a member of the cheerleading team and served as a dormitory chair. She competed on intramural softball and swimming teams. Graduating from Dartmouth summa cum laude and as a member of Phi Beta Kappa, Caren earned a master’s and a doctorate in mathematics at the University of California, Santa Barbara. In 1977 Caren joined the mathematics faculty at Hollins University in Roanoke, where until her death she taught courses in advanced mathematics, calculus, logic, cryptology, algebra, the history of mathematics and quantitative literacy. She was the chief reader for the AP calculus examination from 2004 to 2007. Caren received a number of awards for teaching and for service at Hollins, and was a 2017 recipient of the Mathematical Association of America’s Haimo teaching award. She was an Alumni Fund volunteer, admissions interviewer and class reunion committee member. Caren is survived by her husband, David, and sons Mark and Joseph. Memorial gifts made be made to the Caren L. Diefenderfer Scholarship Fund at Hollins University, Office of Institutional Advancement, 7916 Williamson Road, Roanoke, VA 24020.