Janet H. Geary

Born in the small rural town of Longview, Washington in 1943, Janet Geary has become a premier philanthropist of fine and performing arts, benefitting people of all ages from the West Coast to Washington, D.C. From modest beginnings, Janet’s character carried her through life’s challenges to the fulfillment of helping others achieve their dreams. Drawing on her strong religious faith and boundless energy, the impact of her gifts spreads far and wide.

Athletic and competitive as a child, Janet excelled at team sports and skiing. Later in life, tennis and golf have become favorite pursuits. Naturally musical and appreciative of fine arts, Janet became a classical pianist and developed a keen eye for visual beauty and design. A lifelong interest in piano continues to this day with ongoing practice and study.

Linfield College was the first step in Janet’s dream of a college education, a dream which ended abruptly when Janet became self-supporting and on her own at the age of eighteen. Without the money to continue at Linfield, Janet’s perseverance led her to enroll in Portland State College, while supporting herself with two jobs. Within a year, Janet was married, followed by the birth of the first of two children.

Leaving home at a young age and an early marriage and divorce became inspirational life experiences, prompting Janet to pledge to financially support young middle-class women without access to scholarships. Her generosity has extended to her children and beyond to nieces, grandnieces, and other deserving young women all have benefitted from her educational support, including a University of Portland young woman now receiving support from the Geary’s scholarship donation. When Janet learned of her church choir director’s daughter needing financial aid to pursue a college degree in speech therapy for severely handicapped children, Janet stepped forward to put the young woman through college.

A longtime student of our political system and dedicated to encouraging conservative principles of government, Janet serves as a Regent Member of the Republican National Committee.

Arts and music education have long been top priorities for Janet. When the Vancouver public schools music education funding was cut, Janet provided string instruments for children for several years. Wishing to introduce more children to the arts, Janet brought the “Imagination Celebration” performing group of the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts to give free performances for all first grade children in Lake Oswego. Bringing opera and symphonic music to children is a continuing pursuit through Portland Opera and Oregon Symphony education outreach programs.  

Personal happiness came from Janet’s indomitable spirit and joy of life, always participating in the world around her. Marriage to Richard Geary and the birth of their daughter together with Janet’s two children and Richard’s two children from his earlier marriage made for a full family life. The family grew to include six grandchildren.

A business venture evolved from Janet’s interior design interest when she became a partner in Bingham & Geary, Ltd., a design showroom of antiques and fine furnishings in Portland. Her keen eye enhanced the beauty of homes and gardens where she and her family have lived from the needlepoint pillows she created to fine art collecting, tied together with her natural gift for interior and architectural design. Janet’s mother shared in this gift when Janet bought and beautifully refurbished a house for her in later life.

Passionate about expanding the reach of arts in the community, Janet now serves as a Trustee of the Portland Art Museum. Currently chairing the Endowment Committee, Janet and her husband, Richard, made the lead gift to endow the Curator of European Art position. Two galleries now also bear the Geary’s names thanks to Janet and Richard’s endowment: the Janet and Richard Geary Gallery in the Belluschi Building and the Janet H. Geary Gallery in the Mark Building.

The Oregon Symphony also benefitted from this visionary approach when the Gearys endowed the orchestra’s Concertmaster Chair. The Oregon Ballet Theater has enjoyed live orchestral music accompaniment for several performances thanks to Janet’s appreciation of the complete artistic experience and desire to bring it to the community. A dedicated pianist herself, Janet hosted Andre Watts, Kennedy Center performers, and other great artists at their home, sharing fine music and art with friends, family and lovers of the arts. These gatherings at the Geary’s homes continue to be gifts for the spirit and the senses, in a magical setting of beauty, exquisite food, and welcome.

Arts education outreach is a continuing theme in Janet’s philanthropy, particularly as a member of the Kennedy Center National Committee for the Arts as well as through her appointment by President George W. Bush to the President’s Advisory Committee on the Arts at the Kennedy Center.

Casting an ever widening circle of support, Janet and Richard created the Richard and Janet Geary Foundation, with Janet serving as Chairman, insuring that her dream of generosity, compassion, and arts experience will last long into the future. Ongoing objectives of her philanthropy include support of disadvantaged children through New Avenues for Youth, SEI (Self Enhancement, Inc.), and Friends of the Children. Biomedical research and women’s health are also important areas of Janet and Richard’s support through Oregon Health and Sciences University programs. In addition to the Portland Art Museum Board of Directors, Janet has served on local boards including the Oregon Symphony, the Southwest Washington Medical Center Foundation, and the Southwest Washington Community Foundation.  

Making their second home in southern California, Janet and Richard are benefactors of charities there as well as in Oregon and Southwest Washington. The McCallum Theatre, Boys & Girls Club of Coachella Valley, and the Eisenhower Medical Center have been recipients of their support.

Janet Geary’s innate artistic spirit has led her to share her good fortune with numerous cultural organizations throughout the United States. In turn, she has bettered the quality of life for thousands of people. Janet has helped introduce young and old alike to the joys of ballet and other performing arts as well as to the beauty of French art of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Janet Geary’s endowment of Portland’s top artistic endeavors is planting the seeds for new cultural generations for years to come. 

Janet and Richard make their homes in Lake Oswego, Oregon and Indian Wells, California.

Written by Richard Geary, her husband