Unfortunate news broke this week that Mary Max, wife of psychedelic pop artist, Peter Max, took her life Tuesday evening. Her ultimate choice to end her life stems from a long and vicious legal dispute over the care for her husband and his studio. According to the NYT, Adam Cosmo, Mr. Max’s son from a previous marriage, took a larger role in his father’s studio as his mental abilities began to deteriorate due to dementia, forcing Mary out of the business. Mary claimed that Adam “kidnapped his father” alleging she abused him, but he was later ordered to return his father to his stepmother’s care.
Before taking her life, Mrs. Max left a long voicemail to a friend in London, saying her farewells to the people she loved the most, including her husband, closes friends, brother, and mother. While the cause of death is still under investigation, her lawyer, Mr. Markham, commented: “It’s very sad that she could not convince some others that she was as dedicated as she was … She finally gave up.”
Source: Mary Max, Wife of Pop Artist Peter Max, Dies by Apparent Suicide