Columbus, OH — Annette P. Roydon, 75, of Brattleboro, Vt., died peacefully March 5, 2022, while in hospice at Cape Coral, Fla. For the last eight years before her death, she split her time between Brattleboro and Pine Island, Fla.

Born in Copenhagen, Denmark, she emigrated to the USA in 1952 with her mother Bette, sister Vesla, and stepfather Lawrence Peabody. The family moved to Boston where her father began his successful career as a furniture designer, interior designer, and architect. Throughout the years, the family lived in Rindge, N.H., Port-au-Prince, Haiti and Roskilde, Denmark.

She had deep connections to Southern Vermont and was a graduate of The Putney School as well as Marlboro College. After college, she began working as a trainer in harness racing and obtained her license. She met fellow horseman Stuart Osborn at Hinsdale Raceway in 1969. They got married, had their only child, Jeremy, in 1970, and moved to Vernon, Vt. The couple divorced in 1976 but remained close lifelong friends.

She lived in Southern Vermont throughout the 1970s and in addition to being a single mother, she held a number of jobs including co-owning an oriental rug store and working as a youth counselor in Brattleboro. She eventually chose nursing as a profession and graduated at the top of her class in 1983 from Greenfield Community College nursing school.

Her life took another dramatic turn in 1983 when she married and became business partners with noted industrialist Leon Roydon. The two of them collaborated on the design and development of the Malliouhana luxury hotel located on the small Caribbean island of Anguilla, BWI. Immediately upon launching, the hotel became a premiere destination for the rich and famous, receiving numerous accolades. It is generally acknowledged as having set the gold standard for luxury tourism in the Caribbean throughout the ’80s and ’90s. She played a leading role in the success of the hotel while simultaneously operating as the head of reservations, landscaping, housekeeping, and recreation.

In the early ’90s, she left the hotel business and returned to her passion for horse racing. She moved back to Southern Vermont where, as the CEO of Malhana Farm, she managed the breeding and racing career of hundreds of Standardbred horses until her death.

She was a notable member of the community in Vernon, Vt., and at various points served as the town’s emergency-management director, selectboard chairwoman, and most recently as the town’s health officer.

Her passions and interests throughout the years included gardening, raising exotic animals, playing contract bridge, reading, chatting with friends and neighbors, and most importantly, spending vast amounts of time with Fia, her cherished and perhaps slightly spoiled Havanese dog.

Survivors include her son, Jeremy (Kristin) Osborn; grandson, Isaiah Osborn; brother, Thomas Peabody; and niece, Marisa Frank.

The family held a closed ceremony in Florida and will notify loved ones in the future when a service in Vermont is scheduled.

The family has asked that, in lieu of flowers, tax-deductible contributions be made to Brattleboro Area Hospice (https://brattleborohospice.org/how-you-can-help/donate-to-hospice).