Jean Stephans Kavanagh died peacefully on Friday, January 25, 2008 after a brief battle with cancer.
The first time I met Jean was at a workshop on healing gardens in Portland, OR. She was vivacious, funny, smart as a whip, and had a wonderful Molly Ivins-esque no-nonsense approach. She has been an important leader in the field of landscape architecture and research-based design, and she will be missed.
From the Texas ASLA website:
Jean Stephans Kavanagh
Of Lubbock, TX, a native of Forest Hills, age 61, died peacefully after a
brief battle with cancer on Friday, January 25, 2008. Jean was the daughter
of the late Rita P.(Nehrig) and John G. Stephans. Beloved mother of Douglas
Camann. Sister of Donna Dowd, Carol Appleby, John Stephans, Rita Behr, Greg
Stephans, Mark Stephans, Dan Stephans, Chris Miles, and Noreen Roy. Also
survived by 23 Nieces and Nephews, and 7 Grand-Nieces and Nephews. Born in
Pittsburgh, PA , Jean studied Architecture at Carnegie Mellon University,
Pittsburgh PA from 1964 – 1969. She received her Bachelor of Science in
Landscape Architecture in 1976 and her Masters of Landscape Architecture in
1982 from Cornell University, Ithaca NY. Jean was an Associate Professor in
the Department of Landscape Architecture at Texas Tech University, Lubbock
TX. She joined the department in 1990 after teaching Landscape Architecture
at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst (’82-’89). She was active in
community and professional outreach and has served as an officer of the
Texas Chapter of the ASLA, the Horticultural Therapy Association, Sigma
Lambda Alpha National Landscape Architecture Honor Society, and the Council
of Educators in Landscape Architecture (CELA). Jean pioneered in the study
of the design of therapeutic landscapes in the United States. In 1995, she
was recognized as one of the top women in Landscape Architecture. During the
Centennial ASLA Meeting in Boston, MA, in 1999, she was inducted into the
College of Fellows of the ASLA in recognition of her efforts in this area of
research. Her teaching awards include the Tau Sigma Delta Outstanding
Faculty of the Year in 1996, CELA’s Award of Distinction in Teaching,
Research and Public Service in 1995 and a shared CELA Special Award for
Design Methods in 1982. In 2001, she chaired the national faculty awards
programs for both Sigma Lambda Alpha and CELA. Friends welcome Wednesday 7 –
9 pm and Thursday 2-4 & 7-9 pm at PATRICK T. LANIGAN FUNERAL HOME, 700
Linden Avenue, East Pittsburgh, PA 412- 824-8800. Mass of Christian Burial
in St. Maurice Church, Forest Hills, on Friday at 10am. The family requests
Memorial Donations be made to Texas Tech Foundation (Jean Stephans Kavanagh
Endowment), P.O. Box 42123, Lubbock TX 79409 or, Maryknoll Missionaries, in
care of Robert V. Nehrig, P.O. Box 304, Maryknoll, NY 10545.