Alice Peal, a beloved member of the Mad River Valley community, passed away on August 27, 2026, at the age of 74, due to a myocardial infarction.
Alice was born on January 13, 1952, in Bayonne, NJ, to Joseph Gale and Alice Lewandowski and grew up in Spring Lake, NJ, and Gainesville, FL. She pursued her passion for communication by majoring in communication arts at Fordham University in New York, where she met her husband, Mark.
Alice was a devoted mother to her three children, encouraging them to live life with integrity and respect for others. Her love and dedication to her family were the cornerstones of her life.
Her professional journey began at the Weston Observatory of Boston College, where she played a vital role in maintaining connections to remote seismometers. She later expanded her expertise into network management within banking and public utility systems. Upon relocating to Waitsfield, she continued her impactful work at Northern Power Systems.
In addition to her career, Alice rekindled her childhood passion for horseback riding at the Vermont Icelandic Horse Farm in Fayston. This blossomed into a profound love for horsemanship, Icelandic horse training, and breeding. Alice formed lasting friendships within the Icelandic horse community across the United States, Iceland, and Germany, even becoming a part owner of a breeding stallion in Iceland. Alice was also a dog lover and doting dog mother to Elroy and her dearly departed Vana.
A true lover of nature and culture, Alice was endlessly curious. She found joy in birdwatching, particularly observing raptors, and immersed herself in the art and history of Amish quilts as a proud member of the American Quilters Society. In her later years, she embraced gardening, nurturing a stunning array of hostas and daylilies.
After retiring, Alice dedicated herself to public service, joining the Waitsfield Planning Commission and the Central Vermont Regional Planning Commission. Her interest in the environment shone through as she became knowledgeable about critical issues such as river corridors, flood mitigation, wildlife habitat connectivity, and wastewater management.
Alice is survived by her husband Mark, Waitsfield, her son Benjamin, Arlington, MA, and her daughter Ellen, Waitsfield. She is predeceased by her son Stephen. A Celebration of Life is planned for later this autumn, with details to be announced. In honor of Alice’s legacy, her family encourages donations to the Mad River Valley Community Fund at MRVCommunityFund.org.
Alice’s warmth, curiosity, and love for life will be profoundly missed by all who knew her.
