In Loving Memory of Jasmina Wellinghoff
Dear Readers,
It is with great sadness that we share the news of Jasmina Wellingoff’s passing on Sunday, April 5th.
She loved the arts community of San Antonio and believed it was important to have this platform to inform, contribute and celebrate it. She was an award-winning journalist, critic, columnist and poet. She will be deeply missed.
We want to thank all of the writers, poets, artists, contributors and readers who made Arts Alive San Antonio such a unique place.
Stephen, Vanessa and Nick Wellinghoff
Jasmina Radović Wellinghoff, Ph.D., 81, of San Antonio, Texas, passed away peacefully on April 5, 2026.
Jasmina was the “heartbeat” of her family—affectionate, kind, and loving. She loved the arts and was always up for a lively discussion, whether about the latest happenings around town or world affairs.
She was born on April 11, 1944, in Belgrade, Serbia (former Yugoslavia), to Djuza Radović, a prolific and well-known writer, and Radmila Veljković, who loved to travel and experience other cultures. She often spoke fondly of her homeland which she recently visited with her family.
She was raised and educated internationally, attending schools in Yugoslavia, France, Italy, and the United States, and spoke multiple languages. She moved to the United States to pursue a Ph.D. in Macromolecular Science at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, where she published several scientific papers. At Case she met her husband, Stephen, who was also in her graduate school program, and they married shortly thereafter.
Jasmina Wellinghoff was an award-winning journalist, critic, and columnist with more than 40 years of experience covering the arts, health and medicine, social issues, and business. She authored thousands of articles and critical reviews published in San Antonio, state, national, and international media outlets. She was known for her strong advocacy of accuracy in reporting and fairness in opinion journalism and believed that an unbiased, knowledgeable press is an essential part of a well-functioning society.
She served as Associate Editor and Arts Columnist for San Antonio Woman magazine, was a performing arts reviewer for the San Antonio Express-News, and a book columnist for the online magazine On The Town Ezine. In recognition of her contributions to the cultural and literary life of San Antonio, she received the 2006 Arts and Letters Award from the San Antonio Public Library. She also earned numerous journalism honors from organizations including Texas Press Women, the National Federation of Press Women, the Society of Professional Journalists, and Women in Communications.
While serving as theater critic for the San Antonio Light, Jasmina founded the Alamo Theater Arts Council, an organization dedicated to recognizing excellence in theater production and performance. Its highest honor, the Jasmina Wellinghoff Award, was named in her recognition.
In addition to her work in journalism, she was a published poet and poetry editor. She served as editor and publisher of Yellow Flag Poems, a distinctive anthology created during the pandemic years that featured prominent local, Texas, and U.S. poets, including eight poet laureates. She was the founder and editor of Arts Alive San Antonio: artsalivesa.com, an online publication dedicated to supporting the local arts.
She is survived by her husband of fifty-two years, Stephen Wellinghoff, Ph.D.; her daughter, Vanessa Wellinghoff, M.D., son, Nicholas Wellinghoff, and two grandchildren.
A funeral service will be held on Saturday, April 18, at 12:30 PM at the chapel of Sunset Northwest Funeral Home, 6321 Bandera Rd, San Antonio, TX 78238. The service will be led by Very Reverend Stavrophor Father Dragoljub Popovich of St. Luke Serbian Orthodox Church in Austin, as family and friends gather in remembrance, prayer, and reflection to honor her life and legacy.
A celebration of life reception will follow at 3:00 PM at the San Antonio Art League + Museum, 130 King William St, San Antonio, TX 78204. All are welcome to join the Wellinghoff family for light bites and drinks as they share memories and celebrate her life together.
In lieu of flowers, please consider donations to St. Luke Serbian Orthodox (www.stlukeaustn.org), Alamo Theatre Arts Council (www.atac-sa.org) or the San Antonio Art League + Museum (saalm.org).
Stephen, Vanessa, and Nick, you have our deepest condolences. Jasmina was a bright light, beloved by all in the arts community. I will always treasure the conversations we shared. May her love always be present with you, and may her memory be a blessing.
We will miss that brilliant lady!
I am devastated! She told me just last week she was having a busy week with two family birthdays and Easter preparations. She had a sudden illness? I look forward to meeting the family and seeing mutual arts friends at the celebration of life. What a terrible shock and loss, of dear Jasmina!
My sincerest condolences. I used to always send her our press releases from Bihl Haus Arts, and she was so generous to include info in News Roundup. I first met Jasmina when I was working as a young reporter at the San Antonio Light. I remember she always had a flair of sophistication and grace about her. Thanks for everything, Jasmina.
I am so sorry to hear this news. I enjoyed working with Jasmine over the years and appreciate the time, attention, and passion she offered to our arts community. My sincere condolences to her family and friends.
My heart is breaking with her passing. Jasmina brought love and light to so many. Her dedication to the arts was inspiring. She was very encouraging when I first began writing poetry, and she was also so very kind. May she Rest in Peace.
I wrote several articles about Hill Country arts events for Jasmina over the years but had no inkling of her illustrious background and interesting story. She always made me feel welcome but we never could arrange a time to meet in person. I now wish we had, and I am saddened by the news that she will write no more. I hope Arts Alive stays alive in her memory.
Rest in peace Jasmina – you will be missed