Alexandra Sharpe-Keene

As an only child, Alex had a very close relationship with her parents. They vacationed far and wide in Europe, spending a month each summer on the Spanish island of Mallorca diving, swimming and adventuring. Dave and Audrey encouraged Alex to pursue academics and sports, which she did with gusto. She excelled at both, becoming the captain of her sports teams in primary school, and later attending Liverpool University where she earned a bachelor’s degree in her four years there, while also staying active and successful in several sports.

After graduating university, Alex took a job running ski chalets in Courmayeur, France, for the international travel and hospitality company Inghams. After two glorious post-graduate years working and skiing in the Alps with friends, she was offered an opportunity by Inghams to travel to Stowe to run vacation chalets there. The always adventurous Alex accepted, and soon she was on her way to Vermont.

After working as a chalet host for a while, Alex took a job in the Spa at Topnotch at Stowe, beginning a long and illustrious career in the hospitality business. She quickly advanced to the position of spa director and occupied that position for many years. Alex drastically increased the Topnotch Spa’s revenue and prestige during her tenure, all while leading the spa through meaningful upgrades and renovations.

Alex would continue her career with distinction, achieving the positions of spa director at The Calistoga Ranch in Napa Valley, The Peaks at Telluride, Colo., The Inn at Squaw Creek in Olympic Valley, and finally her most recent position as spa director at the Atlantis Casino Resort Spa in Reno, Nev.

Professionally, Alex was known by all as a hard-driving go-getter, who demanded excellence from herself while striving to inspire others to achieve. She was a consummate professional and compassionate leader, who regularly mentored her managers and staff toward the goal of their own personal development. Her “no one gets left behind” ethic and attitude built loyalty and trust among her peers, both up and down the chain of command.

She was a lover of the beauty in nature, the mountains, travel, preparing good food, art, interior design and feng shui, and fashion and fine clothing and she was always stylish in an unpretentious way. Alex never stopped missing her parents, whom she loved dearly, or her two dogs, Ripley and Barnaby. She was the best of all of us, all wrapped up into one.

Alex is survived by her loving husband, Bud of Verdi, Nev.; two stepsons, Zak of Reno and Kyle of St. John, Virgin Islands; and her large second family, Dan and Karen Keene and family of Stowe, Pat Keene of Hyde Park, Jim Keene of Morrisville, Maureen Keene and of Long Beach, N.Y., Kathy Keene, and Bob St. George of Massachusetts and Savannah and Santo Tomasine and family of Massachusetts.

No services will be held publicly. Donations can please be made to St. Jude’s Hospital, which was a favorite charitable cause that Alex and her mom believed in and contributed generously to.