Gwendoline Mary Halsey died on April 22, 2017, at her home in Water Mill. She was 90.
Mrs. Halsey was born on March 11, 1927, in Mackay, Queensland, Australia to William A. R. Harris and Irene Elizabeth Harris. She had one younger brother, who predeceased her.
After graduating from Brisbane Conservatory of Music, she left Australia to visit family friends in Great Britain. While there she was presented to the Queen of England. Her career took her to Europe and the United States; she never returned to live in Australia.
In addition to the U.K., she also lived and worked in Belgium, France, Canada, Switzerland and the United States. While in Switzerland, she worked at the Geneva office of the United Nations. She met James Halsey in Paris in 1966 only to discover that they were both then living in Geneva. They were married in London on December 23, 1968. They lived, worked and traveled in Europe for many years before relocating to New York where Mrs. Halsey continued to work for the United Nations for the remainder of her career.
After 29 years enjoying their apartment at Sutton Place south in Manhattan, Mrs. Halsey and her husband retired to the house they designed and built together in Water Mill, where “Aunt Gwen” was adored by family members and friends who visited from near and far, survivors said.
She is survived by her husband of 49 years, James Mitchell Halsey; two nephews in Australia, 13 nieces and nephews in the United States, and more than 30 grand-nieces and grand-nephews and great-grand nieces and great-grand nephews.
A memorial service will be held on May 27 at the Bridgehampton Presbyterian
Church.