Bodil Wennberg (born: 1939 April 8, Denmark; died: 1994 Oct. 14, Davis, CA) was originally trained as a nurse in Denmark before immigrating to the U.S. She took up cello in her late 20's and remained an avid musician for the rest of her life. She was a member of the Camellia Symphony and regularly coached secondary students in small ensemble groups. She died of cancer in 1994, and in keeping with her wishes, her cello was sold and the money was used to start up a local annual concert series to raise money for the local school orchestra program. The tradition has continued since 1996 as the Wennberg Music Festival and is currently run by the Davis Schools Orchestral Music Association (DSOMA) the orchestra program booster organization.
Source:
1994 Oct. 17, "Obituary: Bodil Wennberg," Davis Enterprise, pg. A2.
