Obituary: Jennifer Ann Kramer, 1954-2023 

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• Courtesy
• Jennifer Kramer

On October 13, 2023, Jennifer Ann Kramer died in Montpelier, Vt., following a two-year battle with metastatic breast cancer. She died at home, surrounded by those she loved and who loved her.

Jennifer was born in New York City on August 10, 1954, the daughter of Jay O. Kramer, a senior partner with Kaye, Scholer, Fierman, Hayes & Handler in New York, and Nancy H. Kramer. As a child, Jennifer demonstrated the passions that would sustain her throughout her life: a love of travel, people, the environment and, of course, dogs. Jennifer felt equally drawn by the sophistication of city life and the inspirational power of nature. She was the consummate city and country mouse.

She graduated from Greenwich Academy in Greenwich, Conn., in 1972 and from the University of Colorado Boulder in 1976. Following her graduation, Jennifer moved to New York City, working first as an account executive for the BBDO advertising agency and later as travel editor for Town & Country magazine, where she was known for her ability to find and feature lesser-known destinations and experiences around the world that would appeal to the magazine's sophisticated readership.

In the early 1990s, Jennifer moved from New York to Charlottesville to become a freelance journalist, publishing articles for Town & Country, Travel + Leisure, Architectural Digest, and Southern Accents magazines. While in Charlottesville, she made a life-changing decision. She enrolled at Antioch University New England in Keene, N.H., and in 2004 earned a master’s degree in environmental studies and sustainability. It was then that Jen’s life came to full fruition. She joined the Vermont chapter of the Nature Conservancy in Montpelier as director of philanthropy and helped conserve thousands of forested acres that are now permanently available to all Vermonters. Jennifer had a special ability to make connections and build community. She forged a shared commitment to protect Vermont's lands and waters that has left an indelible imprint on the Nature Conservancy and secured conservation funding for generations to come. Jennifer also served on the board for the Central Vermont Humane Society and was a member of Central Vermont Refugee Action Network. In Montpelier, Jennifer also met her longtime partner, future spouse and true love, Paul Keating, whom she married on October 1, 2022.

Jennifer faced her diagnosis of stage IV breast cancer with honesty and bravery. Her tears quickly gave way to the joys that remained in every day, exploring the outdoors, building a cabin with her husband, enjoying her family and spending as much time as possible with the many devoted friends she had gathered throughout her life. Jennifer’s love of people, her open mind and her passionate commitments are lasting gifts to all who knew her. She is survived by her husband, Paul Keating; her stepchildren, Alyssa Moseman, her husband, Wes, and their daughter, Kinsley, and Myles Keating and his wife, Calina; and her devoted Josie, the black mouth cur she rescued as a puppy and saved as an adult. She is also survived by her brother Terry Hannock, his wife, Pam, and their two children, Rebecca and Brooks, as well as her brother John, his wife, Ruie, and their two children, Madeleine and Jay.

Donations in Jennifer’s memory can be made to the Nature Conservancy Vermont Chapter or to the Central Vermont Humane Society in Montpelier, Vt.