Jan Keene Muhlert's Obituary
Jan Keene Muhlert, 77, of Boalsburg, PA, died May 9th in Germantown, TN at the home of her son after a long valiant battle with cancer.
Born October 4th, 1942 in Oakpark, IL she was the daughter of the late William H Keene and Isabel J Cole. On January 1, 1966, in Oberlin, OH, she married Christopher Layton Muhlert who passed away January 3, 2017.
She is survived by her son Michael Muhlert and his two children, Ella and Evan Muhlert; and brother Jon Keene and his wife Loann and their children, Susan Seutter and Linda Fagan and by her close friend Becky Houts.
Jan was a tireless wife and mother. She supported her husband and son’s passions while always excelling in her work. She would work all day and still come home to make dinner, clean house, help with homework and work in the yard. She cared for her husband through his cancer and heart surgery while continuing to work. She would frequently end her days late at night nodding off to sleep in front of the TV. In her younger years, she studied in France and spoke French fluently. She played cornet and guitar. She was an accomplished artist. Besides her husband’s work, her favorite artist was Georgia O’Keefe.
She held a Master of Arts in art history from Oberlin College and a Bachelor of Arts from Albion College, Michigan. Her passion was American art. Jan had almost 50 years of museum experience, having previously worked at the Smithsonian Institution as a curator, and at the University of Iowa Museum of Art, Amon Carter Museum in Fort Worth and most recently, the Palmer Museum of Art in State College, as Director. She retired in December 2016 after 20 years at the Palmer. She had been active in both the Association of Art Museum Directors and the American Alliance of Museums, holding several leadership positions. In State College, PA she had served on the board of directors for the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts and the steering committee for Partners in Public Service, a collaborative project with Penn State University Libraries and Public Broadcasting.
The family wishes to thank Jan’s care giver Oretha Marshall for her commitment and care.
In the setting of the current global pandemic, a memorial service will follow in State College, PA when the current health crisis allows.
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