Dorothy Jane Kellett

Dorothy Kellett passed away peacefully after a long illness on May 31, 2026, at the age of 88.

She is survived by her daughters, Jean Kellett and Brandie Walker, granddaughter Emma Cheshire, and sister Sally Cummins. She is predeceased by her sister Elizabeth Cummins Vonalt.

Dorothy was raised in Vermillion, South Dakota where her father taught American History at the University of South Dakota.

She studied fashion marketing at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City and worked for several years as a fashion journalist in Manhattan. She eventually wanted a career change and, through ambition and a touch of New York City magic, landed a temp job at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. In time she was invited to become a permanent staff member and worked for 25 years in the Department of European Paintings, eventually rising to the position of Manager for Administration.

Her work involved overseeing the administrative staff and supporting the curators in multiple capacities. One perk of the job was the opportunity to courier paintings when they were sent on loan to other museums worldwide. Her courier trips took her to many cities including Paris, Prague, Glasgow, Stockholm, Budapest, and Venice.

Dorothy built a big life living in a small rent-controlled apartment on the Upper West Side, which she painted an elegant red inspired by one of the galleries at the museum. She always enjoyed season tickets to the opera at Lincoln Center several blocks away and relished her “commute” walking across Central Park to the Met each morning. Passionate about exploring New York City’s restaurants, shops and ethnic neighborhoods, she was a superb tour guide to friends and family who visited the Big Apple. The bustling streets provided endless opportunities for one of her favorite pastimes, people watching. She truly thrived in Manhattan and kept her routine of walking across the park and working full-time at the Met until she retired at the age of 74.

In addition to her joy as a New Yorker and dedication to her work at the museum, she is remembered for her unrelenting positive outlook; flair for telling a great story; enviable taste in clothes, antiques and interior design; frugalness; big laugh; and most of all, love of her family.