Annelise McGuigan, 85, passed away Wednesday, Aug. 12, at a Bennington, Vt., hospital after a short illness.
She was born in Copenhagen, Denmark, in June 1934 to the late Olga and Jen Peterson.
Annelise lived in Pawlet, Vt., in the old Pawlet schoolhouse for 26 years.
She was preceded in death by her loving husband, Christopher McGuigan, in 1962. She was preceded in death by her beloved sister Eva Mathiasen, a well-known Vermont artist who was the assistant director and teacher at the Southern Vermont Art Center for many years and passed in 2001.
Annelise is survived by a son, Christopher McGuigan of Pawlet; a daughter, Patricia Merz of Granville, a nephew, Erik Mathiasen of Pawlet; three grandsons; Steven McGuigan of Fort Edward, Christopher Merz and Venessa Cortez, his fiancée, of Clifton Park, and Jonathan Merz of Granville. She is also survived by two great-grandchildren, Annelise McGuigan (her namesake) and Alexander Merz.
She was a member of St. Paul’s Roman Catholic Church and worked at Jones New York for 10 years in Manchester. When she first came to Pawlet, she opened a business in Dorset, “Dorset Interiors,” with her sister Eva. Annelise graduated from the New York School of Interior Design in 1972, and had a thriving interior design business from home, “Peterson Studios,” and for a few years at Barnstable Court in Saddle River, N.J., again with her sister Eva as her business partner and resident artist. Together the sisters beautified homes with interior design and artwork throughout New Jersey, New York, and Vermont. Annelise also enjoyed gourmet cooking, reading, architecture, and spending time with her family. She adored children.
In lieu of flowers, contributions in Annelise’s memory may be made to Maryknoll or Catholic Charities c/o Brewster Funeral Service, PO Box 885 Manchester, Vt. 05255.
