Jane Carstensen Heller

Jane grew up in Bowling Green, Ohio and went on to graduate from Denison University where she majored in Philosophy of Religion. She carried the philosophical cornerstones of curiosity and questioning with her as threads she wove through each chapter of her long and remarkable life.

Jane met Jack Heller when he returned to Denison to complete his degree after serving in the Navy during WWII. They married in Granville in 1951 and moved to Columbus where they welcomed and raised their four children. Jane and Jack were married for 68 years, enjoying adventures at Lake Erie and Door County Wisconsin, trout fishing in Ohio and Colorado, and many laughter-filled trips with their Granville bike group. Together with David and Dee Richards, Jane and Jack founded Kendal at Granville because, as they used to say, “we didn’t want to be a burden to our children.” Kendal (Otterbein) now stands as a vital part of the Granville community and enduring testament to their vision and tenacity.

In the late 1960’s Jane enrolled in an art class at the Cultural Arts Center in Columbus and thus began her celebrated and impactful artist’s journey. Jane exemplified the artist’s life; she lived life in color. Once she began painting, everything in her circle wore a little paint too: shirts, doorknobs, phones, friends and children she hugged…everything was colorful.

Jane’s contributions and involvement in art shows and galleries are too numerous to mention. A voracious learner, she studied printmaking, painting, and weaving with renowned mentors and teachers. Jane owned the Reynolds/Heller gallery in Granville (with her art partner and dear friend Jeny Reynolds), three galleries in German Village, and was affiliated with multiple well-distinguished galleries throughout Ohio. Jane was a founder of The Works Gallery in Newark, a signature member of the North Coast Collage Society and the Society of Layerists in Multi-media, a member of the Denison University Research Foundation, and president of the Bexley Area Art Guild. She was also a sought-after curator and judge for regional and statewide art shows and gallery exhibits. Of all her artistic legacies, the one Jane cherished most was teaching. She reveled in nurturing younger artists and delighted in the spark she saw when they realized their artistic nature. Jane was fiercely proud of the generations of artists, dreamers, and creative spirits she encouraged along the way. Jane treasured her family deeply: her children Nancy, Anne, John, and Jane, her daughter-in-law Cindy and son-in-law Gary, her grandchildren Peter, Brooke, Holly, Kelsey, and Lucy, and her eight great-grandchildren were the lights of her life.

A celebration of life will be held at a later date at Otterbein Granville. Those wishing to honor Jane may contribute to the Otterbein Granville Caring Friends Fund, the Food Pantry Network of Licking County, or the Heller Scholarship at Denison University. The family would like to profusely thank and recognize the amazing staff at Otterbein Granville and the many friends near and far who were like family to Jane. She loved you all.

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