UPDATED BELOW

Sad news from St. Johnsbury — Dog Mountain is reporting via its email newsletter and Facebook page that Gwendolyn Ide Huneck, 61, has died. Huneck is the widow of famed Vermont artist Stephen Huneck, who took his own life in January 2010.

The Facebook post and message at Dog Mountain — where the Hunecks lived, Stephen made his carved-wood sculptures and other artworks, and the couple built the quirky and beloved Dog Chapel — are minimal. Whoever wrote it indicated that they would not be answering emails regularly. Fans and friends are invited to post condolences on the Facebook memorial page.

"Dog Mountain has suffered a great loss," the page reads. The writer adds that Gwen was just a week shy of her birthday, and that she had never really been able to recover from Stephen's death. Since his suicide, she had carried on with his artistic legacy, managing the business of Dog Mountain and the ongoing sales of her husband's unique artwork — and dog-centric books, including Sally Goes to the Beach and Sally Discovers Dog Mountain.

We'll share more information as we have it.

UPDATE:

The Caledonian Record in St. Johnsbury has just confirmed Gwen Huneck's death in a slightly more detailed article here.

Seven Days' Eva Sollberger made this video of Stephen before his death.