Jean Kellogg Schuyler peacefully passed away on April 17, 2019,
at her home of nearly 65 years. A woman of modest tastes and boundless
generosity, she quietly wove her wisdom and support into the fabric of Santa
Barbara.
It is relatively easy to sum up Jean’s life philosophy, but comprehending the breadth and depth of how she chose to express her values is daunting. Never one for long speeches, it seems appropriate to capture the essence of Jean in a haiku:
Gentle steps through life
Leading us all from behind
Class act, small ego
John, the youngest of Jean’s four children, spoke for all of us
when he said, “Our mother was in the position to be able to have most anything:
the best cars, the most elegant clothes, or the latest status symbol du jour.
Instead, she chose to live simply, having things because they served a
practical purpose rather than to impress. Living her life helping others and
serving her community, and doing so with little or no recognition, is a true
measure of her character. I will forever be in awe of how she managed to find a
meaningful way to help so many people and organizations just because it was the
right thing to do for her.”