Marie Foppiani Schlecht

Marie Foppiani Schlecht, also known as Mimi by her friends and family, passed away May 4 in her Southold home. She was 93 years old. 

Marie was a well-known award-winning water colorist and her work was widely exhibited, sought after by private and corporate collectors alike. She also owned her own gallery from 1966 to 1985, The North Fork Gallery, in Southold. Marie was a consummate artist in every sense. She was a prolific painter, fabric designer, decorator, and an inspired chef.

Marie is best remembered for her fearless approach to life and its challenges. In the early 1950s, when women were learning to stand up for themselves, she encouraged other women to be expressive and self-reliant, while balancing the demands of motherhood. “I remember Mom was always teaching someone to drive a car,” said daughter Linda Kohut.

Marie married John A. Schlecht in 1946. Their marriage was a loving relationship admired by everyone they met. The couple raised two children in Nassau County. Thomas J. Schlecht of Southold, was born in 1949. Linda L. Kohut, of New York City and Greenport, was born in 1951. After the children were grown, the couple followed their passion for the arts and moved to Greenwich Village. They divided their time between the Village and Southold.

John Schlecht passed away in 2001. To be closer to her family, Marie moved to Southold in 2013. “Hers was a life well-lived and we’ll miss her,” said her daughter Linda. “She was a loving, caring, and supportive mother and wife, in addition to being an artist in her own right.”

She is survived by her son, Tom and his wife, Jennifer; her daughter, Linda and her husband, Rick; her grandchildren, Lauren Ocker, Mariel Schlecht, and Jack Kohut and great-grandchildren, Gretchen and Nora Ocker, all residing on the East End.

This is a paid notice.