Helen Destro

On July 28, Helen "Jane" Destro, of Rochester, Minnesota, peacefully passed at the age of 96, while residing at the Charter House in Rochester, MN. Jane was born to Earl and Cynthia Allen in Dayton, Ohio, where Earl was an engineer with General Motors and Cynthia was a music teacher and mother of five. Jane had a lifelong illustrious career as a professional medical illustrator and portrait artist, beginning with her first juried scholarship to the Dayton Art Institute at the age of five. After graduating from Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri with degrees in Fine Art and Music, she studied in Europe under Masters at the L-Ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris, France and the Slade School in London, England. 

Returning to the United States, she obtained a degree in Medical Illustration through the University of Illinois College of Medicine, where she met her future husband, Vincent, and the two were recruited to join the Department of Medical Illustration at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. Both in Chicago and Rochester, Jane illustrated innumerable medical textbooks, journals, articles and exhibits, and was an honored guest at the 2008 program "Scalpel to Sketch: The Science and Beauty of Medical Illustration at the Mayo Clinic." 

In addition to medical illustration, Jane was a highly acclaimed professional watercolor portraitist, with her commissioned works residing in private collections extending from across the United States to Asia. Professional affiliations included the American Watercolor Society, the Midwest Water Color Society, and the Portrait Society of America. She had private galleries in Faneuil Hall in Boston, Massachusetts as well as in the L'Atelier Art Quarters in Rochester, MN and her private home studio. Additionally, her portraits appear in multiple fine art publications, such as "The Best of Portraits" by North Light publications and "Best of Watercolor" by Rockport publications. 

For more than sixty years, Jane was an active member of the First Presbyterian Church in Rochester, serving as a deacon, choral soprano, artistic consultant, and member on multiple committees. She was also very active serving in the community, including as a volunteer with Meals on Wheels for which she was formally recognized by the Rochester Area Chamber of Commerce. 

Jane is preceded in death by her husband, Vincent, a Mayo Clinic medical illustrator and former Chair of the Department of Medical Graphics, as well as sister, Jeanne, and brothers William, Robert, and Jack. Jane was a devoted friend to many and cherished mother of three daughters, Lucy Schmidt (David Schmidt), Maryanna Destro (John Woog) and Molly Destro-Borgen (Jeffrey Borgen), grandmother of Jillian, Kiley, John, and Samantha, great grandmother of James, and beloved family member to many cousins, nieces, and nephews. 

Jane's family would like to express special gratitude to Dr. Ericka Tung and Jane's caregivers at Mayo Hospice and Charter House.

A memorial service will be held at 1:00 pm on Sunday, August 4, 2024 at Charter House (211 2nd St NW, Rochester, MN 55901). Visitation will begin one hour prior to the service. A private family inurnment will take place at the First Presbyterian Church Columbarium. 

In lieu of flowers or gifts, memorials are suggested to the First Presbyterian Church in Rochester, the Benevolent Fund at Charter House, or to the charity of one's choice.