Margaret Jean Kettunen Zegart

1926 - 2025

Margaret Jean Kettunen Zegart
08/19/1926 - 07/27/2025
Margaret Jean Kettunen Zegart died peacefully on July 27th in Mill Valley, CA, after a fulfilling life that included family, creativity, adventure, and community service. Born August 19th, 1926 in Lansing, Michigan to Ruth Cresswell and Arne Kettunen. Kett, as she liked to be known, was preceded in death by her ex-husband Harold Zegart, daughter Kathleen Zegart, son Johnathan Zegart, brother Dr. Robert Kettunen, his wife Martha Gibbs Kettunen, and their son-in-law Carl Stempin. She is survived by her sons Benjamin Zegart and Jamin Zegart (Jo Ruddle); grandchildren Liana Zegart (Darin MacDougall), Lara Zegart, Alexander Zegart, William Zegart, Noah Zegart, and great-grandson Isaac MacDougall; cousins Douglas and Donald Cresswell; nephews Robert Kettunen (Yuko), Paul Andrew Kettunen, John Kettunen, and Eric Kettunen (Ingrid), and their children Anders Kettunen and Annika Kettunen; and niece Kathryn K. Stempin.
Using her mother's DAR and family records, Kett met relatives and discovered family heritage sites across Europe, Russia and the United States. She drove along her ancestors' traveled paths including the 1852 Bennett wagon trail and crossed Russia alone on the Trans-Siberian Railroad.
Some of her most cherished memories were summers spent in a Volkswagen bus, camping coast-to-coast with her four children across Canada and back through the U.S. twice. Later were exciting train trips with her grandchildren when each turned ten, visiting Lake Superior and the Kettunen Center in Tustin, Michigan, which honors her father's Hall of Fame 4-H Club leadership. Special times with family and friends were also shared at her beloved cottage, known fondly as "The Cabin," on the Smith River in Northern California.
Kett studied a summer at Cranbrook Academy of Art, had work shown at the Detroit Institute of Art, and graduated in 1947 with a BA cum laude from Michigan State University. For seven years Kett was an assistant to the Art Editor of Condé Nast's Glamour Magazine where she interviewed many famous artists and met her future husband Harold. Evenings and weekends were spent in classes and workshops with many New York printmakers, including seven years at Atelier 17, Stanley W. Hayter's renowned intaglio printmaking studio, where he said "[Kett] is good," whose statement was of rare enthusiasm. Her work, all signed as Kett, has been shown in many museums in both solo and group exhibits. In 1948, a pastel drawing was shown at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the NY Museum of Modern Art purchased her first intaglio print.
In the Fall of 1953, she entered UC Berkeley, earning a Studio Painting Art MA and a secondary Teaching Credential. She taught art at Tamalpais High School, for almost 30 years where she cherished her students and took pride in how art continued to shape their lives, with many continuing to be professional artists.
She was a Fulbright Exchange teacher at Testwood School near the New Forest in England. Kett visited Communist China, traveled alone through Japan to Hokkaido, visiting studios and attending an international papermaking workshop in Tokyo. She taught and demonstrated an art class in Seoul, and with other California master teachers developed Korean and Chinese study units and resources for Stanford University's Global World Study Program.
Always learning, she combined Elder Hostel trips with independent overseas travel and visits to museums. She took local university courses at SF State, UC Extension, and College of Marin in music, weaving, and printmaking. Summer studies included classes in Scotland and in Paris at the Sorbonne. She also attended classes at Cambridge University and West Dean College, UK. She enjoyed the SF Opera, Ballet, Symphony, and theatre, and many local choral concerts, often through CLIR (Center for Learning in Retirement).
She was a member of various boards: Kappa Kappa Gamma, The Marin Retired Teachers Association, and the Outdoor Art Club. She was also VERY active in educational, planning and community committees. Kett appreciated Mill Valley's Community Centers and Library's opportunities. Her local Almonte Improvement Club was very important, and her contributions to Mill Valley were recognized with a City Council proclamation and a Milley Award for Creative Arts. She continued to speak out for fair and honest land use decisions, protection for neighborhoods, for National and State Parks, and for ecosystems, especially in Marin and Del Norte Counties. She urged an environmental adaptation focus for rising tides (ART) and advocated home developments sited to provide safe, affordable housing that enables equal opportunities for learning and quality of life benefits. She thanks all who helped with transportation to appreciated SF music, CLIR, OAC, and Mill Valley Community Center programs, enabled open doors and assisted in her health recoveries.
Kett marched to the beat of her own drum. She was fiercely independent, deeply fair, and a brilliant artist. She championed those in need, loved nature, read at lightning speed, and never backed down from a challenge. A tireless advocate for her community, she was a formidable presence and a passionate force for good. She believed in building a better world for everyone-and she worked to make it so. Kett will be deeply missed by her family, friends, and all who were lucky enough to know her. She was, proudly and forever, a Michigander.
Donations in Kett's memory will be made known at her Celebration of Life, date to be determined. For info regarding the celebration, call Jamin (415) 942-3447, or email zegartjamin@yahoo.com