Dog Mountain owner Gwen Huneck died Sunday at her home on Spaulding Road in St. Johnsbury.
State police confirmed Huneck’s death and said they did not suspect foul play on Monday.
Police did not release the manner or cause of death. According to dispatch logs, CALEX Ambulance and the St. Johnsbury Fire Department responded to Spaulding Road near the Parks Road for a report of a dead body at 2:46 p.m. Sunday.
Gwen Huneck was the widow of folk artist and author Stephen Huneck who committed suicide in Littleton, N.H., in January 2010 at the age of 61. Gwen Huneck lived in a house on the Dog Mountain complex she and her husband built into a studio and tourist destination in the late 1990s.
Gwen Huneck had continued to run Dog Mountain since her husband’s death despite ongoing financial troubles. In April 2010, she was turned down by the board of civil authority for a tax abatement.
She was able to avoid having the properties off Spaulding Road going to tax sale by making a substantial payment of $14,000 in July 2011. Taxes due this year total $19,001.03. As of Monday, payment toward the tax liability was $10,221.62.
Community response
In February of this year, the gallery at Dog Mountain partnered with Catamount Arts to open a new exhibition space featuring the artist’s work. “I am deeply saddened,” said Catamount Executive Director Jody Fried on Monday. “I think it’s a huge loss for the arts and culture community here in the region and in St. Johnsbury. It’s very sad.”
Fried said that while he doesn’t yet know what happened or how things will move forward, Catamount had been working with Gwen Huneck very closely. “This is very, very shocking news.”
Darcie McCann, Northeast Kingdom Chamber of Commerce executive director, said on Monday, “Gwen had a very big heart, and I am heartbroken to hear this news. People must understand that Dog Mountain was everything to Stephen and Gwen, absolutely everything. Dog Mountain was as much of an extension of their hearts as their dogs were. It was not just a business to them; it was their heart and soul. She was a very sweet woman, a dear friend, and I will really miss her.”
Phone calls to Dog Mountain were not returned.
Staff writers Leah Carey, Dana Gray and Todd Wellington contributed to this report.
