German-American psychedelic pop artist Peter Max died at a Manhattan hospital in New York City on September 14. He was 88. His son, Adam Cosmo Max, announced the death via a written statement to U.S. media outlets, including The Associated Press. No cause of death was given. However, Peter suffered from advanced dementia.The artist was preceded in death by his wife, Mary Max, who died in an apparent suicide at her Upper West Side apartment in June 2019. She was 52.Born Mary Balkin, she was an animal rights activist, philanthropist, advocate, and mentor.Mary was Peter’s second wife and they tied the knot in 1997, a year after their first meeting on a Manhattan sidewalk. It was officiated by then-NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani. During their encounter, the artist reportedly introduced himself as:“Hi, I’m Peter Max, and I’ve been painting your profile my entire life.”Between 1963 and 1976, the artist was married to his first wife, Elizabeth Ann Nance. He had a long relationship with model, actress, and musician Rosie Vela that ended in the mid-1980s. Peter Max also dated actress Tina Louise.He is survived by his two children, Adam Cosmo Max and Libra Astro Max.Exploring the life and career of Peter Max’s wifeMary Max was born in Buffalo, New York, in October 1966. She attended a private college-preparatory school called Nardin Academy before joining Canisius College, from where she earned her bachelor’s degree.Italian-American actress-model Isabella Rossellini told Mary Max about factory farming, which encouraged her to become an animal rights advocate. Until her death, she actively wrote and distributed action alert emails that encouraged individuals to contact lawmakers about animal-friendly bills. Mary also hosted fundraisers at her husband’s New York City studio and donated Peter Max’s artwork and her personal jewelry to help raise money for animal rights.In 2001, Ms. Max organized the debut Farm Sanctuary gala and also became a member of its advisory council. She also joined the board of directors at the Humane Society of the United States in 2005 and co-founded Humane USA-PAC and Voters for Animal Rights to promote animal rights legislation.Peter Max’s second wife was a founder and board member of the New York Coalition for Healthy School Food. In 2011, she executive produced the documentary Vegucated, aimed at exploring challenges related to converting to a vegan lifestyle.Vegucated cast member Marissa Miller Wolfson once said of Mary Max:“Once, when I was feeling down about my own activism, saying it just wasn’t enough to make much of a difference, she said that we each have a tiny piece to place in a big, beautiful mosaic, and everyone’s contribution matters.”In 2015, Mary Max became the center of a scandal when Adam Cosmo Max filed a lawsuit against her, accusing her of depleting his father’s money and attempting to kill him in an alleged effort to take control of his multimillion-dollar artwork. She, in turn, accused her stepson of keeping Peter Max from her against his will and stealing his artwork worth $4.3 million that she claimed “legally” belonged to her according to the prenup she signed.By then, the psychedelic artist was claimed to be in a “frail” condition and battling dementia. That same year, Mary Max asked the Supreme Court of the State of New York to appoint a guardian to be in charge of Peter Max’s business affairs. She also claimed she was being followed by private investigators and was once threatened by men who stopped her on the street and warned her to stay away from her husband’s studio.After a back-and-forth between Adam Cosmo Max and Mary Max, the court ordered the former to return Peter Max to the care of his wife and also appointed a guardian to oversee his personal, legal, and business matters.In 2019, The New York Times published an op-ed detailing Peter Max’s family dispute over his art, wealth, and legacy. Two weeks later, Mary Max was found dead at the apartment she co-owned with her husband on Riverside Drive near West 84th Street. Back then, it was reported that she took her own life by nitrogen asphyxiation.Ahead of her death, Peter Max’s wife left a lengthy audio message for a friend in London, advising them what to do after she passed away. Additionally, she left goodbye messages for her husband, her brother Daniel, her mother Ruth, and a few of her closest friends.Mary’s lawyer, John Markham, told the NY Times, in the aftermath of her death:“It’s very sad that she could not convince some others that she was as dedicated as she was. She finally gave up.”Voters for Animal Rights mourned Mary Max and shared in a statement:“She was the advocate's advocate. She advised us not just how to better advocate for animals, but also how to treat other humans in the movement with greater empathy.”The Humane Society of the United States also paid tribute to Mary Max and remembered her “big, big heart” and “grassroots advocate’s eye of the field.”Mary and Peter Max did not have any children.