Lives of Style: Janet Katten
By Examiner Staff Mar 24, 2007 Updated May 18, 2022
"I have wonderful memories of the White House," Jan Katten muses. "I started going there when I was 10." And so begins a visit with one of San Francisco's most charming, cultured, delightful ladies, with bone-deep beauty and refined breeding that transcends time and is as au courant as fresh rainwater. Her voice is crème brûlée, smooth, sophisticated, distinct, with the cadence that speaks of boarding schools and a good education. When she smiles, she reflects the radiance of her persona on a beam of sunlight.
Janet Roosevelt Katten, niece of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, grand-niece of President Teddy Roosevelt, whose father, G. Hall Roosevelt, was first lady Eleanor Roosevelt's sole brother, is a treasure trove of recollections of that remarkable era. "My sister (half-sister) Ellie (Eleanor — who lives in Davis) and I are the only two remaining from our generation. All of Eleanor and Franklin's children are gone."
The youngest of three girls, Jan grew up near Bloomfield Hills, outside Detroit, where her mother, Dorothy, from a prominent family, was a renowned pianist. Dorothy founded the Michigan Orchestra, the WPA Orchestra and played with the Detroit Orchestra. She also "performed on a barge on the Potomac with the National Symphony Orchestra, for 40,000 people," before running for Congress — the first woman to win a Democratic Party primary in the state of Michigan.
Janet's parents separated when she was very young, "When my dad left, Eleanor took over for him, with Christmas presents. I first went to the White House [as a child] with my mother, when she gave a recital in the East Room."
There are stories of protocol: "When you entered the White House, the first lady was in charge of guests. After you arrived, a bath was drawn. Bags laid out. You'd receive a thermos of water and a bowl of fruit and cookies. And breakfast was brought on trays with creamed finan hadie [fish] on toast because FDR loved that. The next day there was a car and driver and footman and you were taken to every major institution in Washington."
There are stories of daring: "The FBI took me to the basement, where they had target practice. I shot a submachine gun, which they aimed and held while I pulled the trigger"; adventure: "At the Treasury Building, I remember holding $11 million in my hands — at that time I was 10 or 12"; and drama: "I used to swim in the White House pool and there were two Secret Service officers assigned to me. I was a very good swimmer. I preferred to swim underwater. So when I came up two Secret Service officers were taking off their jackets ready to jump in to save me."
Janet Katten Obituary
Janet Roosevelt Katten
January 15, 1930 - November 5, 2020
Janet Roosevelt Katten passed away Thursday surrounded by family in her beloved home at the edge of Glen Canyon in San Francisco.
Jan was born in Birmingham, MI, to Dorothy Kemp Roosevelt and G. Hall Roosevelt (brother of Eleanor Roosevelt). She grew up in the Detroit area with her two older sisters, Amy and Diana. Holidays took her to the White House and Hyde Park to visit her aunt and uncle, Eleanor and FDR, leaving Jan stories with which to regale the family her entire life. Jan went to Bennington College in Vermont, and later attended the Institute of Design in Chicago, where she studied at The New Bauhaus. In Chicago, Jan met and married Dan Walker, and soon after moved to Bellingham, WA. Now on the West Coast, she used her training to help design a Bauhaus-inspired home. It was also there that Jan had her first two children, Hall and Dana. After her divorce, in 1961 Jan, Hall and Dana moved to San Francisco to be near Jan's sister and brother in law, Diana and Agar Jaicks. After the move, Jan continued her creative work designing lamps for Gump's. San Francisco was home the remainder of her life. And it was in San Francisco that she met and married, in 1962, Andrew Katten, a third-generation San Franciscan, and had her other two children, Michael and Stephen.
Jan participated in the community at all levels, focusing on the lives her children connected her to as they grew up attending San Francisco public schools. Whether as a member of the PTA, mentoring at school reading programs, and otherwise helping to tutor children in need, teachers and the community always knew they could rely on Jan for support. Never far from politics, especially as a Roosevelt and ardent supporter of the Democratic Party, she could always be counted on to host fundraisers and support the great tradition of San Francisco progressive politics.
Jan was both a talented artist and a lover of the arts. She did pen and ink drawings for a book that Dana wrote, and painted and sculpted throughout her life, her home becoming a museum-like testament to her artistry. Jan was a regular at San Francisco Opera, Ballet and Symphony, Philharmonia Baroque and other musical events. She was a patron of the arts and a member of the San Francisco Conservatory of Music board of directors. Jan loved horses and anything to do with them. She was an accomplished rider and loved raising horses, attending the races, and vacationing at dude ranches (from childhood), especially the CM Ranch in Wyoming. Jan was an avid tennis player, and continued playing late into life. She and Andy were regular bridge partners, a pastime she continued to the very end, years after Andy's passing in 1999. In all these endeavors, Throughout her life, Jan built a wider and wider community of friends, admirers and loved ones, all who dearly appreciated this grand and elegant lady. Her epic birthday celebrations later in life showed the enormous range of connections she developed and nurtured over the years.
Jan was especially excited about her family, home, and gardens. She never flagged in her support and love for the wildly various paths each of her children took. She loved gatherings of her five grandchildren and her two great grandchildren. Holidays were can't-miss affairs for everyone. Jan made them special and inviting. Her far-flung family made sure to gather in San Francisco at the edge of Glen Canyon during the close of each year. Her home was always warm and inviting. Friends knew a gin cocktail awaited them if they dropped by Jan's after five on any day.
Jan is survived by her four children and their families: Hall and Teresa of Bellingham and Hall's children, Hall Campbell, his wife Amber and their two children, Eleanora and Magnus of Bellingham, and Barrett of Seattle and her partner Aaron; Dana and Mark of Boulder, CO, and Dana's son, Daniel of Denver, CO, and his partner Erin; Michael and Vanaja of El Cerrito, CA and their children Isaac of Oakland, CA, and his partner Cassandra, and Sarah of El Cerrito; and Stephen of San Francisco.
A celebration of life will be held according to Covid protocols pending family arrangements.
Donations in memory of Jan's wonderful life can be made to the San Francisco Chronicle's Season of Sharing fund in honor of her love for her adopted city and its people.
SOURCE: Published by San Francisco Chronicle from Nov. 6 to Nov. 8, 2020.
By Examiner Staff Mar 24, 2007 Updated May 18, 2022
"I have wonderful memories of the White House," Jan Katten muses. "I started going there when I was 10." And so begins a visit with one of San Francisco's most charming, cultured, delightful ladies, with bone-deep beauty and refined breeding that transcends time and is as au courant as fresh rainwater. Her voice is crème brûlée, smooth, sophisticated, distinct, with the cadence that speaks of boarding schools and a good education. When she smiles, she reflects the radiance of her persona on a beam of sunlight.
Janet Roosevelt Katten, niece of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, grand-niece of President Teddy Roosevelt, whose father, G. Hall Roosevelt, was first lady Eleanor Roosevelt's sole brother, is a treasure trove of recollections of that remarkable era. "My sister (half-sister) Ellie (Eleanor — who lives in Davis) and I are the only two remaining from our generation. All of Eleanor and Franklin's children are gone."
The youngest of three girls, Jan grew up near Bloomfield Hills, outside Detroit, where her mother, Dorothy, from a prominent family, was a renowned pianist. Dorothy founded the Michigan Orchestra, the WPA Orchestra and played with the Detroit Orchestra. She also "performed on a barge on the Potomac with the National Symphony Orchestra, for 40,000 people," before running for Congress — the first woman to win a Democratic Party primary in the state of Michigan.
Janet's parents separated when she was very young, "When my dad left, Eleanor took over for him, with Christmas presents. I first went to the White House [as a child] with my mother, when she gave a recital in the East Room."
There are stories of protocol: "When you entered the White House, the first lady was in charge of guests. After you arrived, a bath was drawn. Bags laid out. You'd receive a thermos of water and a bowl of fruit and cookies. And breakfast was brought on trays with creamed finan hadie [fish] on toast because FDR loved that. The next day there was a car and driver and footman and you were taken to every major institution in Washington."
There are stories of daring: "The FBI took me to the basement, where they had target practice. I shot a submachine gun, which they aimed and held while I pulled the trigger"; adventure: "At the Treasury Building, I remember holding $11 million in my hands — at that time I was 10 or 12"; and drama: "I used to swim in the White House pool and there were two Secret Service officers assigned to me. I was a very good swimmer. I preferred to swim underwater. So when I came up two Secret Service officers were taking off their jackets ready to jump in to save me."
Janet Katten Obituary
Janet Roosevelt Katten
January 15, 1930 - November 5, 2020
Janet Roosevelt Katten passed away Thursday surrounded by family in her beloved home at the edge of Glen Canyon in San Francisco.
Jan was born in Birmingham, MI, to Dorothy Kemp Roosevelt and G. Hall Roosevelt (brother of Eleanor Roosevelt). She grew up in the Detroit area with her two older sisters, Amy and Diana. Holidays took her to the White House and Hyde Park to visit her aunt and uncle, Eleanor and FDR, leaving Jan stories with which to regale the family her entire life. Jan went to Bennington College in Vermont, and later attended the Institute of Design in Chicago, where she studied at The New Bauhaus. In Chicago, Jan met and married Dan Walker, and soon after moved to Bellingham, WA. Now on the West Coast, she used her training to help design a Bauhaus-inspired home. It was also there that Jan had her first two children, Hall and Dana. After her divorce, in 1961 Jan, Hall and Dana moved to San Francisco to be near Jan's sister and brother in law, Diana and Agar Jaicks. After the move, Jan continued her creative work designing lamps for Gump's. San Francisco was home the remainder of her life. And it was in San Francisco that she met and married, in 1962, Andrew Katten, a third-generation San Franciscan, and had her other two children, Michael and Stephen.
Jan participated in the community at all levels, focusing on the lives her children connected her to as they grew up attending San Francisco public schools. Whether as a member of the PTA, mentoring at school reading programs, and otherwise helping to tutor children in need, teachers and the community always knew they could rely on Jan for support. Never far from politics, especially as a Roosevelt and ardent supporter of the Democratic Party, she could always be counted on to host fundraisers and support the great tradition of San Francisco progressive politics.
Jan was both a talented artist and a lover of the arts. She did pen and ink drawings for a book that Dana wrote, and painted and sculpted throughout her life, her home becoming a museum-like testament to her artistry. Jan was a regular at San Francisco Opera, Ballet and Symphony, Philharmonia Baroque and other musical events. She was a patron of the arts and a member of the San Francisco Conservatory of Music board of directors. Jan loved horses and anything to do with them. She was an accomplished rider and loved raising horses, attending the races, and vacationing at dude ranches (from childhood), especially the CM Ranch in Wyoming. Jan was an avid tennis player, and continued playing late into life. She and Andy were regular bridge partners, a pastime she continued to the very end, years after Andy's passing in 1999. In all these endeavors, Throughout her life, Jan built a wider and wider community of friends, admirers and loved ones, all who dearly appreciated this grand and elegant lady. Her epic birthday celebrations later in life showed the enormous range of connections she developed and nurtured over the years.
Jan was especially excited about her family, home, and gardens. She never flagged in her support and love for the wildly various paths each of her children took. She loved gatherings of her five grandchildren and her two great grandchildren. Holidays were can't-miss affairs for everyone. Jan made them special and inviting. Her far-flung family made sure to gather in San Francisco at the edge of Glen Canyon during the close of each year. Her home was always warm and inviting. Friends knew a gin cocktail awaited them if they dropped by Jan's after five on any day.
Jan is survived by her four children and their families: Hall and Teresa of Bellingham and Hall's children, Hall Campbell, his wife Amber and their two children, Eleanora and Magnus of Bellingham, and Barrett of Seattle and her partner Aaron; Dana and Mark of Boulder, CO, and Dana's son, Daniel of Denver, CO, and his partner Erin; Michael and Vanaja of El Cerrito, CA and their children Isaac of Oakland, CA, and his partner Cassandra, and Sarah of El Cerrito; and Stephen of San Francisco.
A celebration of life will be held according to Covid protocols pending family arrangements.
Donations in memory of Jan's wonderful life can be made to the San Francisco Chronicle's Season of Sharing fund in honor of her love for her adopted city and its people.
SOURCE: Published by San Francisco Chronicle from Nov. 6 to Nov. 8, 2020.
Lives of Style: Janet Katten
By Examiner Staff Mar 24, 2007 Updated May 18, 2022
"I have wonderful memories of the White House," Jan Katten muses. "I started going there when I was 10." And so begins a visit with one of San Francisco's most charming, cultured, delightful ladies, with bone-deep beauty and refined breeding that transcends time and is as au courant as fresh rainwater. Her voice is crème brûlée, smooth, sophisticated, distinct, with the cadence that speaks of boarding schools and a good education. When she smiles, she reflects the radiance of her persona on a beam of sunlight.
Janet Roosevelt Katten, niece of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, grand-niece of President Teddy Roosevelt, whose father, G. Hall Roosevelt, was first lady Eleanor Roosevelt's sole brother, is a treasure trove of recollections of that remarkable era. "My sister (half-sister) Ellie (Eleanor — who lives in Davis) and I are the only two remaining from our generation. All of Eleanor and Franklin's children are gone."
The youngest of three girls, Jan grew up near Bloomfield Hills, outside Detroit, where her mother, Dorothy, from a prominent family, was a renowned pianist. Dorothy founded the Michigan Orchestra, the WPA Orchestra and played with the Detroit Orchestra. She also "performed on a barge on the Potomac with the National Symphony Orchestra, for 40,000 people," before running for Congress — the first woman to win a Democratic Party primary in the state of Michigan.
Janet's parents separated when she was very young, "When my dad left, Eleanor took over for him, with Christmas presents. I first went to the White House [as a child] with my mother, when she gave a recital in the East Room."
There are stories of protocol: "When you entered the White House, the first lady was in charge of guests. After you arrived, a bath was drawn. Bags laid out. You'd receive a thermos of water and a bowl of fruit and cookies. And breakfast was brought on trays with creamed finan hadie [fish] on toast because FDR loved that. The next day there was a car and driver and footman and you were taken to every major institution in Washington."
There are stories of daring: "The FBI took me to the basement, where they had target practice. I shot a submachine gun, which they aimed and held while I pulled the trigger"; adventure: "At the Treasury Building, I remember holding $11 million in my hands — at that time I was 10 or 12"; and drama: "I used to swim in the White House pool and there were two Secret Service officers assigned to me. I was a very good swimmer. I preferred to swim underwater. So when I came up two Secret Service officers were taking off their jackets ready to jump in to save me."
Janet Katten Obituary
Janet Roosevelt Katten
January 15, 1930 - November 5, 2020
Janet Roosevelt Katten passed away Thursday surrounded by family in her beloved home at the edge of Glen Canyon in San Francisco.
Jan was born in Birmingham, MI, to Dorothy Kemp Roosevelt and G. Hall Roosevelt (brother of Eleanor Roosevelt). She grew up in the Detroit area with her two older sisters, Amy and Diana. Holidays took her to the White House and Hyde Park to visit her aunt and uncle, Eleanor and FDR, leaving Jan stories with which to regale the family her entire life. Jan went to Bennington College in Vermont, and later attended the Institute of Design in Chicago, where she studied at The New Bauhaus. In Chicago, Jan met and married Dan Walker, and soon after moved to Bellingham, WA. Now on the West Coast, she used her training to help design a Bauhaus-inspired home. It was also there that Jan had her first two children, Hall and Dana. After her divorce, in 1961 Jan, Hall and Dana moved to San Francisco to be near Jan's sister and brother in law, Diana and Agar Jaicks. After the move, Jan continued her creative work designing lamps for Gump's. San Francisco was home the remainder of her life. And it was in San Francisco that she met and married, in 1962, Andrew Katten, a third-generation San Franciscan, and had her other two children, Michael and Stephen.
Jan participated in the community at all levels, focusing on the lives her children connected her to as they grew up attending San Francisco public schools. Whether as a member of the PTA, mentoring at school reading programs, and otherwise helping to tutor children in need, teachers and the community always knew they could rely on Jan for support. Never far from politics, especially as a Roosevelt and ardent supporter of the Democratic Party, she could always be counted on to host fundraisers and support the great tradition of San Francisco progressive politics.
Jan was both a talented artist and a lover of the arts. She did pen and ink drawings for a book that Dana wrote, and painted and sculpted throughout her life, her home becoming a museum-like testament to her artistry. Jan was a regular at San Francisco Opera, Ballet and Symphony, Philharmonia Baroque and other musical events. She was a patron of the arts and a member of the San Francisco Conservatory of Music board of directors. Jan loved horses and anything to do with them. She was an accomplished rider and loved raising horses, attending the races, and vacationing at dude ranches (from childhood), especially the CM Ranch in Wyoming. Jan was an avid tennis player, and continued playing late into life. She and Andy were regular bridge partners, a pastime she continued to the very end, years after Andy's passing in 1999. In all these endeavors, Throughout her life, Jan built a wider and wider community of friends, admirers and loved ones, all who dearly appreciated this grand and elegant lady. Her epic birthday celebrations later in life showed the enormous range of connections she developed and nurtured over the years.
Jan was especially excited about her family, home, and gardens. She never flagged in her support and love for the wildly various paths each of her children took. She loved gatherings of her five grandchildren and her two great grandchildren. Holidays were can't-miss affairs for everyone. Jan made them special and inviting. Her far-flung family made sure to gather in San Francisco at the edge of Glen Canyon during the close of each year. Her home was always warm and inviting. Friends knew a gin cocktail awaited them if they dropped by Jan's after five on any day.
Jan is survived by her four children and their families: Hall and Teresa of Bellingham and Hall's children, Hall Campbell, his wife Amber and their two children, Eleanora and Magnus of Bellingham, and Barrett of Seattle and her partner Aaron; Dana and Mark of Boulder, CO, and Dana's son, Daniel of Denver, CO, and his partner Erin; Michael and Vanaja of El Cerrito, CA and their children Isaac of Oakland, CA, and his partner Cassandra, and Sarah of El Cerrito; and Stephen of San Francisco.
A celebration of life will be held according to Covid protocols pending family arrangements.
Donations in memory of Jan's wonderful life can be made to the San Francisco Chronicle's Season of Sharing fund in honor of her love for her adopted city and its people.
SOURCE: Published by San Francisco Chronicle from Nov. 6 to Nov. 8, 2020.
By Examiner Staff Mar 24, 2007 Updated May 18, 2022
"I have wonderful memories of the White House," Jan Katten muses. "I started going there when I was 10." And so begins a visit with one of San Francisco's most charming, cultured, delightful ladies, with bone-deep beauty and refined breeding that transcends time and is as au courant as fresh rainwater. Her voice is crème brûlée, smooth, sophisticated, distinct, with the cadence that speaks of boarding schools and a good education. When she smiles, she reflects the radiance of her persona on a beam of sunlight.
Janet Roosevelt Katten, niece of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, grand-niece of President Teddy Roosevelt, whose father, G. Hall Roosevelt, was first lady Eleanor Roosevelt's sole brother, is a treasure trove of recollections of that remarkable era. "My sister (half-sister) Ellie (Eleanor — who lives in Davis) and I are the only two remaining from our generation. All of Eleanor and Franklin's children are gone."
The youngest of three girls, Jan grew up near Bloomfield Hills, outside Detroit, where her mother, Dorothy, from a prominent family, was a renowned pianist. Dorothy founded the Michigan Orchestra, the WPA Orchestra and played with the Detroit Orchestra. She also "performed on a barge on the Potomac with the National Symphony Orchestra, for 40,000 people," before running for Congress — the first woman to win a Democratic Party primary in the state of Michigan.
Janet's parents separated when she was very young, "When my dad left, Eleanor took over for him, with Christmas presents. I first went to the White House [as a child] with my mother, when she gave a recital in the East Room."
There are stories of protocol: "When you entered the White House, the first lady was in charge of guests. After you arrived, a bath was drawn. Bags laid out. You'd receive a thermos of water and a bowl of fruit and cookies. And breakfast was brought on trays with creamed finan hadie [fish] on toast because FDR loved that. The next day there was a car and driver and footman and you were taken to every major institution in Washington."
There are stories of daring: "The FBI took me to the basement, where they had target practice. I shot a submachine gun, which they aimed and held while I pulled the trigger"; adventure: "At the Treasury Building, I remember holding $11 million in my hands — at that time I was 10 or 12"; and drama: "I used to swim in the White House pool and there were two Secret Service officers assigned to me. I was a very good swimmer. I preferred to swim underwater. So when I came up two Secret Service officers were taking off their jackets ready to jump in to save me."
Janet Katten Obituary
Janet Roosevelt Katten
January 15, 1930 - November 5, 2020
Janet Roosevelt Katten passed away Thursday surrounded by family in her beloved home at the edge of Glen Canyon in San Francisco.
Jan was born in Birmingham, MI, to Dorothy Kemp Roosevelt and G. Hall Roosevelt (brother of Eleanor Roosevelt). She grew up in the Detroit area with her two older sisters, Amy and Diana. Holidays took her to the White House and Hyde Park to visit her aunt and uncle, Eleanor and FDR, leaving Jan stories with which to regale the family her entire life. Jan went to Bennington College in Vermont, and later attended the Institute of Design in Chicago, where she studied at The New Bauhaus. In Chicago, Jan met and married Dan Walker, and soon after moved to Bellingham, WA. Now on the West Coast, she used her training to help design a Bauhaus-inspired home. It was also there that Jan had her first two children, Hall and Dana. After her divorce, in 1961 Jan, Hall and Dana moved to San Francisco to be near Jan's sister and brother in law, Diana and Agar Jaicks. After the move, Jan continued her creative work designing lamps for Gump's. San Francisco was home the remainder of her life. And it was in San Francisco that she met and married, in 1962, Andrew Katten, a third-generation San Franciscan, and had her other two children, Michael and Stephen.
Jan participated in the community at all levels, focusing on the lives her children connected her to as they grew up attending San Francisco public schools. Whether as a member of the PTA, mentoring at school reading programs, and otherwise helping to tutor children in need, teachers and the community always knew they could rely on Jan for support. Never far from politics, especially as a Roosevelt and ardent supporter of the Democratic Party, she could always be counted on to host fundraisers and support the great tradition of San Francisco progressive politics.
Jan was both a talented artist and a lover of the arts. She did pen and ink drawings for a book that Dana wrote, and painted and sculpted throughout her life, her home becoming a museum-like testament to her artistry. Jan was a regular at San Francisco Opera, Ballet and Symphony, Philharmonia Baroque and other musical events. She was a patron of the arts and a member of the San Francisco Conservatory of Music board of directors. Jan loved horses and anything to do with them. She was an accomplished rider and loved raising horses, attending the races, and vacationing at dude ranches (from childhood), especially the CM Ranch in Wyoming. Jan was an avid tennis player, and continued playing late into life. She and Andy were regular bridge partners, a pastime she continued to the very end, years after Andy's passing in 1999. In all these endeavors, Throughout her life, Jan built a wider and wider community of friends, admirers and loved ones, all who dearly appreciated this grand and elegant lady. Her epic birthday celebrations later in life showed the enormous range of connections she developed and nurtured over the years.
Jan was especially excited about her family, home, and gardens. She never flagged in her support and love for the wildly various paths each of her children took. She loved gatherings of her five grandchildren and her two great grandchildren. Holidays were can't-miss affairs for everyone. Jan made them special and inviting. Her far-flung family made sure to gather in San Francisco at the edge of Glen Canyon during the close of each year. Her home was always warm and inviting. Friends knew a gin cocktail awaited them if they dropped by Jan's after five on any day.
Jan is survived by her four children and their families: Hall and Teresa of Bellingham and Hall's children, Hall Campbell, his wife Amber and their two children, Eleanora and Magnus of Bellingham, and Barrett of Seattle and her partner Aaron; Dana and Mark of Boulder, CO, and Dana's son, Daniel of Denver, CO, and his partner Erin; Michael and Vanaja of El Cerrito, CA and their children Isaac of Oakland, CA, and his partner Cassandra, and Sarah of El Cerrito; and Stephen of San Francisco.
A celebration of life will be held according to Covid protocols pending family arrangements.
Donations in memory of Jan's wonderful life can be made to the San Francisco Chronicle's Season of Sharing fund in honor of her love for her adopted city and its people.
SOURCE: Published by San Francisco Chronicle from Nov. 6 to Nov. 8, 2020.
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