Guadalajara Reporter

Roberta Rehn, 68, librarian for 29 years at the American School of Guadalajara, indefatigable vestry and altar guild member at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in Guadalajara and artist, died peacefully January 20 in Guadalajara after an eight-month battle with cancer. Born in St. Paul, Minnesota, Rehn earned a B.A. in history with a minor in Spanish at the University of Minnesota, then went on for an M.A. in library science, which was interrupted by her travels to Mexico City. There she met and married German Rueda, had two daughters and spent five years working as a secretary at the Jewish high temple, a job she loved. The family moved to Guadalajara in 1972.

In 1975, Rehn began working at the American School where she brought her passion for books to many children. After a divorce, she married Sven Rehn, a retired Swedish national, in 1979. The couple lived for many years in Tlajomulco de Zuñiga near the Santa Anita Golf Course, where Rehn delighted in art, decoration and reading. After Sven died suddenly, Rehn found St. Mark’s to be a great help to her. She became close friends with former St. Mark’s pastor, the Rev. Bob Trent, who was also her boss for a time at the American School. Trent came to Guadalajara from Qatar to officiate at Rehn’s memorial service at St. Mark’s January 26.

After retiring from the American School in 2004, and at the encouragement of her companion Juan Carlos Talamantes, Rehn focused on art, producing semi-abstract floral and landscape paintings and Christian-themed gold-leaf collages, which she exhibited and sold. She was also a member of several book clubs.

Rehn is survived by her 96-year-old father Robert Barrett of Minnesota; former husband Rueda; daughter Alexandra Rueda Hammack of Clark County, Virginia; daughter Annie Rueda-Brown of Edmonds, Washington; grandsons Alexander and Adrian Brown; and companion Talamantes of Tlajomulco de Zúñiga.

The family requests memorial donations be made to St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, www.stmarksanglican.org, (33) 3641-6620; and the American Cancer Society for colorectal cancer.