Obituary: Anne Penelope Staufer
Anne Penelope Staufer was born Nov. 13, 1937, in London to Florence “May” Alebon, a true Cockney, who was the most patient person in the world, and to John Alebon, an engineer, who wasn’t.
Anne grew up in Godstone, Surrey. One of her earliest memories was seeing her local school destroyed by Nazi bombs. She told her son Jonathan that she’d cried her eyes out. His grandmother, May, assured him that this was not true and that, in fact, Anne had danced and shouted with joy at not having to go to school the next day.
Following the war, the Alebon family emigrated to Eleuthera. May finding the school there inadequate, they moved to Toronto, Canada, a year later.
In Toronto, Anne took a job working first for IBM and then for an engineering firm working on Canada’s supersonic fighter, the Avro Arrow. When the Arrow project was cancelled, Anne tired of Toronto’s cold winters. May noticed an ad seeking help at the Elbow Beach Club in Bermuda, and Anne packed her bags.
In Bermuda, Anne met and fell in love with Joe Staufer. They were married in Canada and were planning to move to California when a friend from Bermuda, Martin Mosshammer, called to say they should stop to look at Vail, Colorado. It was January 1963 and as Anne would say, it’s never been as cold before or since.
Support Local Journalism
Anne had been looking forward to sunny California when Pete Seibert took Joe up the mountain. Anne said that she never forgave Pete … and never stopped thanking him! Thus began what Anne called “the Adventure of a lifetime,” helping to build a ski resort and a community in the “wilds of Colorado.”
With Daphne Slevin, Anne opened Kaleidoscope in the Golden Peak House. She remained close with Daphne throughout her life.
Joe and Anne welcomed their son, Jonathan, in 1968. They bought the Vail Village Inn in 1969. Shortly after, Earl Eaton sold them the home they would treasure, settling on terms with a handshake. The house and its garden, as well as the many trees she planted there, were a source of joy to Anne throughout all her days, as were the many poodles that bounded around in it.
In 1979, Anne opened Annie’s, a gift and home shop in Vail Village, stealing personnel away from her husband’s hotel, including Laura Winters, whom she loved dearly. The store was made remarkable by Anne’s notable sense of design and style, and her devotion to knowing what was going on around the world. Her six newspapers per day and devoted following of various weekly and monthly magazines continued throughout her life. The store also occasioned numerous “business” trips to New York.
Anne led a rich life made richer by the people in it. She made dear friends and kept them, sharing good food and wine, books, music and great conversation. She adored travel, particularly to Kenya and Tanzania, and she finally made it to the beach, making a second home on St. Croix.
Anne is survived by her husband, Joe, her son Jonathan, her daughter-in-law Wendi, her granddaughter, Freyja, her brother Rob and his wife Gail, and numerous other family members and lifelong friends, all of whom she loved immeasurably.
Anne passed away peacefully on Nov. 13, 2025, with Joe at her side at her home in Vail, a home surrounded by her garden, the trees she’d planted, and the birds, bees, fox, butterflies, and deer she’d welcomed there.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that a donation be made in her memory to Bravo! Vail Music Festival, to Vail Health, or to Rocky Mountain Wild, all of which Anne supported.
