When people mention former board member Jean McKee, they almost always do so with a smile. Without fail, Jean brought humor to life. She took politics, policy and historic preservation seriously, but she did so with charm and civility that are too often missing in today’s world.
Her ability to discuss, debate and engage across differences was exactly what Olmsted hoped to foster through his landscapes. This was Olmsted’s notion of “communitiveness” where landscapes restored our souls, softened our edges, and made it possible for us to find common ground.
One can only surmise that Jean’s own “Olmsted landscape”– the homestead in Cheshire, CT where she lived as did FLO’s beloved aunt before her– inspired that greatness of spirit. The beauty of the Connecticut countryside and the democratic ideals of 19th century Hartford inspired Olmsted, just as they did Jean, whose personal interests in so many ways reflected those of her famous ancestor.
While Olmsted was not an elected politician, he was intimately involved in the politics of the late 19th century and the Republican Party. Like Olmsted, Jean had an enduring fascination with politics. By her own account, she worked for 18 different political campaigns, 16 of them in New York. These included Prescott Bush, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Richard Nixon, Jacob Javits, Charlie Goodell, Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush and Governor Nelson Rockefeller. President Gerald Ford appointed her deputy administrator and then administrator of the 1976 American Revolution Bicentennial. And during the George H.W. Bush administration, she served as chair of the Federal Labor Relations Authority for five years.
Notwithstanding her love of the political arena, Jean’s first love was her Olmsted heritage and home. She readily accepted the responsibility of sustaining and maintaining the Brooks household in Cheshire, CT, believed to be the oldest home in Connecticut with continuous ownership by the same family.
Jean could also be counted on to undertake genealogical research on a moment’s notice. The Olmsted Cemetery in Fond du Lac, WI? “No trouble,” said Jean. “Frederick Law Olmsted and Fond du Lac’s Erastus Olmsted had the same great-great grandfather.” When a fellow board member (who had been recruited by Jean) learned about his Connecticut ancestry… “Good news,” said Jean. “Welcome to the ‘family.’”
Jean served on our board, provided invaluable financial support, offered thoughtful counsel and unwavering allegiance during organizational challenges, and conveyed an optimism that rivaled Olmsted’s focus on “distant effects.” She received the Olmsted Stewardship Award in 2017. Just a month ago, Jean brought her insights and good humor to the Awards Working Group. When we announce our 2024 honorees, we can thank Jean for her thoughtful insights and her never-ending dedication to the Olmsted legacy.
Memorial services will be held 11:00am Saturday, September 7, at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Cheshire, Connecticut.
You can read the obituary here.
Jean’s family advises that: In lieu of flowers, Jean would be very honored if gifts could be made to the Olmsted Network, or a charity of your choice.
