Jane Holt Seale, 63, daughter of Helen Holt and the late Sen. Rush D. Holt of West Virginia, died Oct. 28 at her home in New Orleans, La.
Her father was the youngest U.S. senator ever elected and her mother, Helen Holt, of Washington, D.C., was the first woman to serve as secretary of state of West Virginia.
Born in Weston, W. Va., she attended Greenbrier College in Lewisburg, W. Va., and graduated from St. Louis University.
A lifelong historian, she worked on the Louisiana historical collection at Loyola University of New Orleans. For most of her life she bought and sold antiques and historical items. With her former husband, David Seale, she operated Holt’s Unlimited shop. She moved to New Orleans in 1965 and became an advocate of her adopted city, where she was engaged in local political and civic causes. She was a devotee of the Louisiana Historical Society, the Louisiana Philharmonic, the New Orleans Museum of Art, and the NPR station WWNO.
She is survived by a son Rush Holt Seale, a banker in Washington, D.C.; her mother; a brother, Hopewell Township resident Rush Holt, who is a member of the U.S. Congress representing New Jersey’s 12th Congressional District; and a cousin, David Chase of Moira, N.Y.
A service of remembrance and celebration was held Oct. 30 at the Community Church Unitarian Universalist, 316 38th Street, New Orleans, La.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Community Church rebuilding fund or to The Abstract rehabilitation center, PMB 185, 5721 Magazine St. New Orleans, La., 70115.
Arrangements were by Jacob Schoen & Son, New Orleans, La.

