Anna Olejar

Anna (Annie) Olejar, loving mother, grandmother, favorite aunt and dear friend died peacefully on Thursday, Oct. 26, 2023, in Lachine, Quebec, Canada.

The middle daughter of three children, Anna was born on Jan. 2, 1938, to Andrej Olejar and Anna Tymko in Montreal, Quebec. Although, she often told the story that she was born on Dec. 31, but the midwife filed the papers on Jan. 2.

Anna graduated from Lachine High School in Lachine. On Oct. 21, 1961, she married Peter McHugh of the Bronx, N.Y., in Montreal. They moved to the United States and settled in Babylon, N.Y., on Long Island. Anna and Peter had three boys, Christopher, Andrew and Thomas McHugh. Anna stayed at home to raise the boys.

In the fall of 1972, the family moved to Stowe where they operated the Grey Fox Inn (formerly the Holiday House). After Anna and Peter divorced in 1983, Anna continued operating the inn until 1986.

Anna moved to Burlington in the late 1980s and then to Colchester. She worked for the clerk’s office in the city of Burlington until she retired in 2008. She moved back to Stowe in 2014 and then to Lachine in 2022.

Anna was known to have been the favorite aunt of all her nieces and nephews on both the Olejar and McHugh sides of the family. She always had a large group of friends in Canada, Long Island, Stowe and Burlington. Anna maintained these friendships throughout her life.

She especially loved seeing and spending time with all her grandchildren. She would play games, paint and have them over for sleepovers.

Anna was a talented painter, loved entertaining and socializing, reading, gardening, bird watching and meeting new people.

She is survived by her sons, Christopher McHugh and partner Jennifer of Stowe, and Thomas McHugh and wife, Gina of Morrisville; daughter-in-law, Rosalie Rheaume of Barre; grandchildren, Colleen, Meaghan, Ashley, John, David, Timothy, Aidan and Colin; sisters, Maria Cox of Barre and Nellie Tsonos of LaSalle, Quebec; numerous nieces and nephews on both the Olejar and McHugh sides of the family; and many beloved relatives and friends.

She was predeceased by her parents, and her son, Andrew McHugh.

A funeral Mass for Anna will be held at Blessed Sacrament Church in Stowe on Saturday, Dec. 9, 2023, at 11 a.m., followed by a reception.