Longtime resident of Killington Maries Noe passed away on Nov. 4, 2014 in Palm Harbor, Florida. Maries Noe was born in Germany on Sept. 8, 1925. She and her husband, Waldemar, owned and operated Chalet International on the Killington access road for over 20 years. Waldy Noe passed away in May 2000. Waldy had been a German national slalom champion and a very popular ski instructor on Killington Mountain.
Maries Noe in her youth was a competitive figure skater, winning many titles and trophies along the way. She skated professionally with European Holiday on Ice for 10 years, traveling around the world with them. In 1958 she was offered a position with the International Theater Restaurant in New York City and when this contract ended she and Waldy headed to the Catskill Mountains in New York. Noe then opened a ballet and figure skating school, and several of her students went on to compete at a national level. Waldy taught skiing at Hunter Mountain.
It was Waldy’s dream of running a hotel in a cold climate where they could pursue their interest in winter sports. After researching several ski areas in Vermont they decided that Killington was the place to settle. In 1964 they built Chalet International and ran this successful ski house for over 20 years. Many of their guests became long time friends returning every year to stay at the Chalet (now the home of JAX Food & Games.)
In 1980 Maries went to a figure skating show held at the Royce Mandigo Arena in Rutland, Vt. After the show she offered her show business experience to the president, Joan Larkin. For the next 15 years Maries took over the duties of the annual show. She created a dazzling annual show which was the highlight of the winter. She spent hours selecting a show theme and then hours taping music and designing costumes. She choreographed each number to the skater’s personality and ability, and over these 15 years hundreds of area children learned to figure skate.
In 1995 she and Waldy retired to Highland Lakes in Palm Harbor, Florida. Maries was very impressed with the beautiful auditorium and the professional stage at Highland Lakes. She could visualize utilizing this facility and formed a small dance group called the Foot Fancy Dancers. Over the years the Foot Fancy Dancers had performed for various holiday dinner dances, luncheons and clubs. Maries again directed and choreographed an annual show featuring the Foot Fancy Dancers and many fabulous musical talents all from the Highland Lakes community. In 2008 she put on her last show, which was called “10th Anniversary–Dance & Music Review,” which highlighted the best numbers from all her previous shows. It was a terrific show and the audience loved it.
She lived a good, long, very interesting life and will be missed by all who knew and loved her.
