Signe Relander

Signe Relander (née Österman; 19 August 1886 – 31 May 1962) was the wife of Finland's second president, Lauri Kristian Relander, serving as the First Lady of Finland from 1925 until 1931.

[1] The couple met while she was still at secondary school and he at university, and married in 1906; they lived in Tikkurila (then part of the Rural District of Helsinki, now Vantaa), and had two children.

[2] She considered her role as the First Lady to be purely ceremonial, and avoided commenting on or otherwise getting involved in politics.

[1] She was nevertheless known for her language skills and elegant appearance, and is thought to have been a positive influence on her husband's political career, both before and after his election as president.

[3] After her husband's death at the relatively young age of 58, Signe Relander suffered financial hardship, until a modest pension was granted to her.

Eponymous rose cultivar Signe Relander