Anne MacDougall Einstein

We are heartbroken to announce that Anne MacDougall Einstein, 81, passed away at New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center on Tuesday, February 10, 2026.

Anne was a New York private art dealer widely respected for her positive spirit, engaging manner, and professional integrity. She became director of the G.W. Einstein Company after the death of her second husband, Gil Einstein, in 2012. The company specialized in post-modern American prints for museums and private collectors. Over the last twelve years, she continued the business with her husband, Dr. Milton N. Adams, expanding the inventory to include fine art photography.

Anne was born on April 27, 1944, in Winchester, Massachusetts, to the late Ernest and Sarah MacDougall. She earned a BA from Randolph-Macon Woman's College and a master's degree in art from Syracuse University. She lived in Virginia, Washington, D.C., Germany, and Massachusetts before settling in New York City. Her years in the American South shaped her lifelong commitment to social justice.

An accomplished printmaker and watercolorist, Anne was especially drawn to the shifting inlets and waters of Cape Ann and Maine. Her love of travel began in childhood, spending summers with her parents in their Airstream exploring national parks and Mexico, and she continued returning to the American West throughout her life. In earlier years she enjoyed horseback riding, hiking, and sailing, and she never lost her love of the water — whether swimming in the warm Caribbean or braving the colder surf of Wingaersheek Beach in Gloucester.

Anne took great pleasure in live jazz, art shows, theater, her longtime book club, spirited political conversation, and cheering on the New York Knicks. She loved cooking and hosting dinner parties, finding the perfect gift, and bringing people together. She was smart, joyful, generous, and stylish, with a welcoming presence and a warm sense of humor.

Above all, Anne cherished her family and friends. She is survived by her husband, Milton Adams; her stepchildren Susanna Einstein, Melissa Adams, and Jason Adams and their families; her daughter-in-law Laura Williams Ballou and grandsons Liam and Tucker Ballou; and many dear friends, including Barbara and Greg Phillips. She was preceded in death by Gil Einstein and her beloved son, Ashton Chandler MacDougall Ballou, whom she shared with her first husband, Paul Ballou. Ashton's spirit remained a constant presence in her life.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Doctors Without Borders, the Southern Poverty Law Center, or the Charles Mingus High School Competition and Festival. A celebration of Anne's life will take place later this summer with details to come.