Founding Board President Peter Strykers remembers the late Jane Stuppin:
Jane Kennedy Stuppin died peacefully and not unexpectedly at her home in Sebastopol on March 31, 2012. She was one of the most active founding board members from the day that Laurette Goldberg’s dream of Philharmonia, Baroque Orchestra of the West became a reality.
Like most of our founding board members, I was introduced to Jane and other board members by Laurette Goldberg. Laurette was able to assemble a group of people who loved baroque music and believed in the use of early, period instruments. If I remember well all board members were amateur musicians and one was a professional singer.
I served on the board only in the early years. I remember that Jane with her background in finance had the strongest voice in establishing a financially stable budget. This could not be said from many of the members of the board at that time, including Laurette and me. Jane served on the board from 1981-1999. Later in 2009 she returned to the board again. The last few months she excused herself from active duty due to her illness.
Jane loved playing the harpsichord and up until recently played chamber music with fellow baroque musicians. She was the happy owner of some beautiful and well cared for instruments. She loved poetry and did often readings in public of her own published works. She was active in the Sebastopol Art Center and Sonoma County Book fair.
On behalf of Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra, we wish her husband Jack, who is a generous supporter for Philharmonia as well, all the strength he will need to cope with this loss.
She was a dear friend and will be missed by the many who knew her. Her diligence as a board member has certainly helped to develop Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra to become what it is today.
Requiescat in pace.
One Comment
I am saddened to read the news of Jane’s passing. I had the priviledge to come to know Jane as the former Executive Director of PBO from 2001 to 2008, and to spend a few evenings with she and her brilliant husband at their home in Sebastopol. My fondest memory is of a visit I made along with Dr. Peter Strykers and the Honorable Marie Collins in 2007…THE founders united; and PBO was yet again on the rise. We should all remember Jane for her affection for the purity of music making, not merely the polish that draws so many of us to support such an exquisite ensemble as Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra. Jane and Jack showed me, through their life together and their actions, what truly matters in a life well lived, and that integrity and honesty will remain their emblem.