Jean Platt

The HMC community is saddened to learn of the passing of Jean Platt, its founding first lady. Jean is preceded in death by her husband, Joe, and is greatly missed. We knew both Jean and Joe not only through HMC, but also from their involvement in CUCC.

You can read a brief bio of Jean and her remarkable life at the HMC site here, but it does not mention a story that she told me. As a high school student in Massachusetts, Jean wanted to attend Stanford University, but her parents advised against it since she would not be able to see her family for the four years she would be in school. California was just too far away to have her come home. So, she went to college in Ohio at Miami University instead.

While a student, she did some computational work for a researcher who was interviewing housewives in Indiana. She had no idea about the content of the research at the time since she worked as a number-cruncher. You may have guessed it though, she had a part in the Kinsey Report.

A gracious, intelligent, kind and funny woman - we miss you, Jean.