Sarah Jane Schulzetenberg died in Las Vegas, Nev., at the Heritage Springs Care Center, on July 26, at the age of 80.
Jane is survived by her husband, John (Jack) Schulzetenberg, her sons, Peter (Judy Engel) and Jay (Maria), grandchildren, Lauren and Gus Schlzetenberg, her sister, Rebecca Planer, and brother, Norm Planer (Sharon), their children, Jennie and Michael (Aurora), her sisters-in-law, Linda, Mary (Brent) and Judy (Bob), and Jane’s beloved cats ,Gatti and Ellie.
She was preceded in death by her father, Norman J Planer, and her mother, Beryl Gray Planer, her mother-in-law and father-in-law, Al and Delphine Schulzetenberg, her brother-in-law, Tom Schulzetenberg, and sister-in-law Linda Hamm’s husband ,Kevin.
Jane was a lifelong resident of Annandale, Minn., where her children were the fifth generation in her family living on the family property on Clearwater Lake. Jane attended grade and high school in Annandale. She attended the University of Minnesota, earning a BA degree, with honors, in Journalism and French. She worked at the Swedish Hospital in Minneapolis, where she established a established its first public relations department. Jane married her high school sweetheart, Jack Schulzetenberg, in 1968. After three years of marriage and working, Jane and Jack built their lifetime home on the family property on Clearwater Lake. Jane then embarked on a lifetime of volunteer activities.
Jane was an excellent writer and wrote many special interest articles for the local newspaper in Annandale, one of which featured her then three-year-old husband, as the first “streaker” in Annandale, in 1949. In 1986, Jane and Jack moved to Denver (for a work transfer) until they returned to their Annandale home in 1991. While in Denver, Jane was involved in major fundraising activities for the Denver Art Museum and the Denver Children’s Museum, including having then First Lady, Barbra Bush, as a special guest. After moving back to Minnesota Jane became involved with the “Friends of the Minneapolis Institute of Art” and helped establish the associated “St. Cloud Friends” group. Jane eventually was the co-chair of the annual “Art in Bloom” fundraiser for the “Friends.” Jane was on the Board of Directors for the St. Cloud Symphony for many years and was eventually the President. Jane chaired several fundraisers for the Symphony. Jane also served several terms on the Annandale school board and was of co-founder of La Table, an annual fundraiser for MS in St. Cloud, Minn.
Jane stayed involved in the arts over her lifetime. She and Jack were avid art collectors – especially of Southwest American art and went on an extended driving tour of the American Southwestern every August to search for new pieces of art and to meet with their many artistic and gallery friends. Frequently their Minnesota and Colorado friends accompanied them on those treks. Jack and Jane turned their home into a veritable art museum with their vast collection.
Jane loved cats (rescue cats) and always had at least one (and up to four living in her). Gatti was living with her until the end.
For all her accomplishments, Jane was best known by her friends for three things. The first, the darling knitted baby sweaters and hats she made. Each sweater had the baby’s name and birth date knitted into the stitching. The interesting thing was the knitting was done, upside down and backwards. She gifted well over 100 sets of the sweaters, hats and teddy bears to her friends during her lifetime. The second, Jane was an excellent cook and was known for her special cookies and desserts, her decorating and entertaining skills. And third, they knew they could always rely on Jane to take charge when necessary and to be sure a given project was completed with a smile on her face and on time. Many of the people she worked with praised her management and training skills after getting to know her and working on projects with her,
A private “Celebration of Life” will be held at the Schulzetenberg home in the fall.