Anne Mandales, age 90, died in her Manhattan home on September 11, 2019 after a long illness. Born in Paris, France, Annie escaped Nazi-occupied France with her parents to the United States when she was 13 years old. She lived in New York City for the rest of her life, although she continued to visit her beloved France frequently.
Annie graduated high school at the Lycee Francais de New York and received a BA from Beaver College in Pennsylvania. Later she received an MA in French literature from Columbia University,and an MA in teaching English as a Second Language (ESL) from Hunter College.
Annie taught French at the French Institute Alliance Francaise, ESL at Queens College and George Washington High School, and French folkdances to high school students in New York and New Jersey. She loved her students and they appreciated her passion for teaching.
Annie was married for 62 years to Peter, an Austrian-Jewish refugee who worked as a social worker and supervisor for the NYC Board of Education for 33 years. Together they provided a loving home on Manhattan’s Upper West Side for their two children, David and Lisa.
In 1976 Peter and Annie bought their Woodstock home and enjoyed it during summers and weekends. Annie especially enjoyed walking in the woods, folk dancing, and participating in the Performing Arts of Woodstock drama group.
In addition to her children, Annie is survived by her daughter-in-law Anna Kollisch and son-in-law Dan Gottesman, her four grandchildren, Joseph, Christina, Jacob, and Reuben, and her two great grandchildren, Brianna and Blayke.
Annie will be remembered by family and friends for her kindness, sincerity, and liveliness, and the enormous joy she found in singing(especially Edith Piaf songs) and dancing.
A memorial gathering of close family and friends will be held in New York City at a later date.