Alanne Baerson

Alanne Baerson died July 23, 2026, age 86, at her home on Little Apple Farm in Hillsdale, New York, after a long struggle with Alzheimer’s. Born April 13, 1940 in Brookline, Massachusetts. She was an amazing and talented woman who lived an incredible personal and professional life culminating in long sunny afternoons in a wheelchair on the deck of her farmhouse.

After her first marriage ended in divorce, she married Ron Bixby on January 20, 1989, her partner since 1973, at a ceremony in Rome Italy on the Campidoglio witnessed by Chris and Paul Hanafin. They resided in Manhattan before moving to their Park Slope brownstone in 1976, witnessing the tall ships parade in New York harbor from the roof. After spending summers on Shelter Island, the Delaware River and Taghkanic, New York, in search of a weekend getaway in Columbia County, they purchased a 23 acre farm and orchard in Hillsdale, New York. Alanne was an avid orchardist, yoga enthusiast at Roberta Roll’s classes at Roe Jan Community Library, and equally active in the Whippoorwill Road Walkers and Ron’s forays to the Adirondack High Peaks with the American Alpine Club.

Alanne did what seemed impossible to most people by changing her professional career in midlife from a professional architect and public agency administrator to a licensed clinical psychologist and psychotherapist. After receiving her undergraduate degree from the University of Chicago, she completed the architecture program at Columbia University and became a licensed architect. Her first employment was with the Urban Design Group at New York City Planning Department under John Zuccotti and eventually became the Executive Director of the agency, appointed by Herbert Sturs. Determined to make a career change, she took a two-year hiatus and started working in the Random Harvest Deli in Craryville, New York, where she dished out cooking advice as much as food. She was an accomplished cook having trained with noteworthy chefs in Chinese, Moroccan and French cuisine.

After fulfilling several preliminary academic requirements, she entered the clinical psychology program at Adelphi University on Long Island and received a PhD. Following an Internship at Belview Hospital in Manhattan she started a private practice serving a wide array of patients and obtained a post doctorate degree in psychotherapy from New York University.

During her professional careers she traveled widely. First to China in 1977 with a group of architects and planners soon after the success of China/USA “Ping Pong Diplomacy” and subsequent trips with the Women’s China Study Group lecturing on New York City planning and zoning. Later she presented research papers on clinical psychology at conferences in York, England and Auckland, New Zealand.

She is survived by her husband Ron Bixby, brother Eric Baerson, sister Hilary Silver, extended family, and friends. 

A Remembrance Gathering will be held Friday July 31st at Little Apple Farm and Cidery, 178 Orchard Lane Hillsdale, New York, starting with a nondenominational version of shiva at 3:00 pm and a tribute to Alanne event at 5:00 PM. In lieu of flowers, thank the home healthcare workers Melonie, Jeannine and Heather who cared for Alanne and other victims of Alzheimer’s and terminal disease.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Peck & Peck Funeral Homes, Copake.