Jane Ann Cartwright passed away Saturday, March 29, 2003 in her home in New York City. She had been battling breast cancer for the past year. Jane and her twin sister, Margaret Ann Cartwright, were born in Salt Lake City, UT Jan 12, 1950. She grew up in the Holladay area and graduated from Olympus High School, 1968. She then went on to college at the University of Washington where she graduated with a BA in Journalism. Upon graduation, she took a job writing for The Wenatchee World where she honed her promising journalistic and photographic skills. During her tenure at The Wenatchee World she won several awards for her photography from the Associated Press. After three years, she left the picturesque community of Wenatchee and returned to Salt Lake City where she worked for the Salt Lake Tribune as a reporter and photographer. In 1976 she moved to Seattle, WA were she worked for the Seattle Times, specializing in investigative reporting and feature writing. In 1980 she received an award for investigative reporting from Sigma Delta Chi, the professional journalism society, and again in 1981 she received top honors for spot news coverage from Sigma Delta Chi. Together with other reporters at the Seattle Times she was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize for her reporting of the Mount St Helen eruption. However, her passion was feature writing, where she truly excelled and established her renowned reputation as a journalist. In 1983, she left the Seattle Times to pursue her true passion - creative writing. She was admitted into the Masters program at Columbia University and received the Tennessee Williams, Jr., (Merit) Scholarship. During her second year at Columbia she received the prestigious Claire Woolrich (Merit) Scholarship for outstanding original work. In 1987 she graduated from Columbia with a Masters in Fine Arts (creative writing) and moved to Alaska. Shortly before moving back to New York City in 1989, she married Michael McKay and has lived there ever since. She and Michael have enjoyed many great times together and he was the love of her life. Although she became a successful journalist, photographer, and writer, her greatest gifts were her extremely inquisitive mind, her remarkable creative abilities, and her sharp, rapid-fire wit. Few people can match her clever and humorous spirit, although many tried. Even during the enormous hardships and pain of the past year, she remained unbelievably positive and humorous in her outlook. She was a true joy and gift to all who encountered her - she will be greatly missed.Jane is survived by her husband; mother, Helene Cleare Cartwright, Salt Lake City; three sisters, Margaret (Meg) Ann Cartwright, Christine (Chris) Ann Cartwright, Candace Cart-wright Dee (Thomas); brother, Peter Cartwright (Sandra Hasstedt); three nephews; and a niece. Private services will be in New York City. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be sent to the Cartwright Memorial Lecture, MDSG, Inc., P.O. Box 30377, New York, NY 10011
Published in Salt Lake Tribune from Apr. 6 to Apr. 7, 2003
Robert Beckstead
Jane Ann Cartwright 1/12/50 ~ 3/29/03
Jane Ann Cartwright passed away Saturday, March 29, 2003 in her home in New York City. She had been battling breast cancer for the past year. Jane and her twin sister, Margaret Ann Cartwright, were born in Salt Lake City, UT Jan 12, 1950. She grew up in the Holladay area and graduated from Olympus High School, 1968. She then went on to college at the University of Washington where she graduated with a BA in Journalism. Upon graduation, she took a job writing for The Wenatchee World where she honed her promising journalistic and photographic skills. During her tenure at The Wenatchee World she won several awards for her photography from the Associated Press. After three years, she left the picturesque community of Wenatchee and returned to Salt Lake City where she worked for the Salt Lake Tribune as a reporter and photographer. In 1976 she moved to Seattle, WA were she worked for the Seattle Times, specializing in investigative reporting and feature writing. In 1980 she received an award for investigative reporting from Sigma Delta Chi, the professional journalism society, and again in 1981 she received top honors for spot news coverage from Sigma Delta Chi. Together with other reporters at the Seattle Times she was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize for her reporting of the Mount St Helen eruption. However, her passion was feature writing, where she truly excelled and established her renowned reputation as a journalist. In 1983, she left the Seattle Times to pursue her true passion - creative writing. She was admitted into the Masters program at Columbia University and received the Tennessee Williams, Jr., (Merit) Scholarship. During her second year at Columbia she received the prestigious Claire Woolrich (Merit) Scholarship for outstanding original work. In 1987 she graduated from Columbia with a Masters in Fine Arts (creative writing) and moved to Alaska. Shortly before moving back to New York City in 1989, she married Michael McKay and has lived there ever since. She and Michael have enjoyed many great times together and he was the love of her life. Although she became a successful journalist, photographer, and writer, her greatest gifts were her extremely inquisitive mind, her remarkable creative abilities, and her sharp, rapid-fire wit. Few people can match her clever and humorous spirit, although many tried. Even during the enormous hardships and pain of the past year, she remained unbelievably positive and humorous in her outlook. She was a true joy and gift to all who encountered her - she will be greatly missed.Jane is survived by her husband; mother, Helene Cleare Cartwright, Salt Lake City; three sisters, Margaret (Meg) Ann Cartwright, Christine (Chris) Ann Cartwright, Candace Cart-wright Dee (Thomas); brother, Peter Cartwright (Sandra Hasstedt); three nephews; and a niece. Private services will be in New York City. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be sent to the Cartwright Memorial Lecture, MDSG, Inc., P.O. Box 30377, New York, NY 10011
Published in Salt Lake Tribune from Apr. 6 to Apr. 7, 2003