- admin on Susan’s Last Day
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- admin on Susan’s Last Day
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16 Responses to “About”
Dear Friends, Please feel free to leave any comments you wish to make, stories you want to tell or anything else on your mind about Susan. She was special, and will always be special to me, and I hope to you. Susan shared herself, and that was the best gift I ever received. I’m amazed at how many people–some of whom she didn’t know well–got such strong positive feelings from this energetic and generous woman. I hope you can count yourself among them!
Neill Bell
Dear Neill:
Susan was my best friend, you both were, from the day we met. Even though she was my boss first, she was always like a wonderful sister, and one of the very few women who was taller than I am, so my BIG Sister!! She enthusiastically encouraged and inspired everyone to not only be the best they can be, but laugh and have a fantastically fun time. We had so many wonderful times together…you and Susan, me and Kevin….Talking about politics, dancing, eating lobsters at Fetzer Winery, barbequing at Lake Mendocino, putting up wallpaper in the little house down the hill, digging out the hillside with a shovel to put in water storage, delicious dinners watching the sunset on Blackbart Trail and cooking in the hot dog stand…..you made everything fun! I was always amazed by the two of you and the love you shared for life and each other. We love you Neill and look forward to seeing you soon,
and we miss Susan. –Judy Enright
Neill,
Susan was more than just a teacher to me. She was also a mentor and a friend, the best role model that a future teacher could have. I worked with Susan in the math lab at Mendocino College for two years. She helped me gain the strength and courage that I forgot I had.
I now work for the Ukiah Unified School District as a teachers aide. I work with 6th grade math. I feel that she was a step in my ladder towards a teacher. I learned the joys and hardships that come along with teaching. I learned to love teaching math, I also learned to love Susan!
She would answer the phone and help me any advice she could give me and now I can no longer do that. Therefore I am taking what she taught me sharing it with my students. She will always hold a special place in my heart. THANK YOU SUSAN, I LOVE YOU!
Dear Neill,
Seeing you on Sunday was like seeing Susan as well–the two of you made a picture whole. Sunday was a wonderful “Remembrance” that stimulated so many wonderful memories of my time at Mendocino College, made wonderful by the presence of Susan. What a positive impact she had on everyone associated with the College. Her love of knowledge, creativity, and desire to improve the world we live in enhanced the quality of lives of the entire Mendocino County community. She not only generated good ideas but she was able to stimulate others to generate ideas and then she possessed the capacity to expand on their ideas and make them better.
More important even than her intellectual and academic skills was her caring about the human condition–fairness, equality, and justice. Few people possess her courage to do the right thing, no matter the cost.
The formal and informal comments made by you, Kate, Ruth, Jade, Sally and many others reminded me of how much I really liked Susan and how much she contributed to my life. My affection for Susan also translates to an affection for you as well.
Thanks for sharing Susan with all of us…
Dell
Dear Brother:
I’m so sorry that I could’nt be with you Sunday, but I want to take this time to share with you the many wonderful moments that I have shared with you and Susan. She was indeed one of a kind! I know of none other that could lift your spirits when you down in the dumps faster than she. She always looked on the bright side and passed her affectionate laugh on to you. Over the years we have played many pranks on one another and believe it or not, Susan was normally in on it if not instigating it. I’ll never forget the $125.00 tie she picked out for me to wear to Dad’s funeral. We have laughed so many times over it and I still have the tie. She was always there when you needed her. I love her Bro and will miss her but will comforted by her laugh every time I think of her. God bless her, may she rest in peace–but knowing Susan there will be no resting if there is something for her spiritual body to do. God bless you too, Bro, comfort you and walk with you always. Love You-David
Judy, the times Susan and I spent with you in Ukiah (and San Diego) were magical, some of the best of our lives, too. We always enjoyed your wide-eyed enjoyment of things and places we had come to know and enjoy, and how you embraced things like–well, a town not without pity, but certainly without Nordstrom. Some of the things we did together were just plain goofy, and they also bring to mind warm memories. You in your bathrobe slipping and sliding in the mud hillside on the corner of Vichy Springs and Watson Roads while we were trying to put up George’s political signs, your baby shower at the old Baccala house (now Jaxon Keyes tasting room), and the mime-face halloween outfits you and susan wore to work at ROP. You have lived in San Diego for the last 25 years, but those memories were always precious to Susan and to me and kept a warm place in our hearts. That’s true friendship. Neill
I met Susan right when she opened Pegasus Bookstore, and was always blown away by her. I grew up in Ukiah and we had nothing, absolutely nothing to do here but go to the movies. And then Susan (and Neill) walked in. Because of her bookstore, young people had their first place to hang out where they didn’t have to buy anything. Many groups were formed there, such as the Ukiah Women’s Lib Group (I don’t know became of that went but I attended many meetings.) I remember the bookstore was on Perkins Street between School and Oak. There was couch in a bookstore, inconceivable! We had nothing like it before.
I don’t think I ever had the courage to speak to her in those days–she was so beautiful, glamorous, brilliant. But she was always doing something, organizing something, and I kept my eye on her! Later I got to know her when she worked at the Youth Project and with Mendocino County Office of Education.
She was bigger than life. We have lost a true treasure.
opps! I meant ROP, ROP.
Thanks, Christy. One of the things Susan was most proud of was helping to create new opportunities for people who grew up in Ukiah. She had hoped that the bookstore (Sept. 1972-74) would draw in locals as well as newcomers, and it was always her aim to make folks from these two groups comfortable with one another. I think she succeeded. Even if not, she certainly made people of all sorts feel comfortable with her, and with themselves. She enjoyed people, and I think everyone got that from her. Eventually we learned to enjoy ourselves and ourselves with other people. She was magical, no doubt. But the magic came to her from those she met, people she gave to, and who gave to her. Neill
Like many folks, I met Susan soon after moving to Ukiah 36 years ago. At that time, she was running the Community Center in a quonset hut on Perkins Street! She was dynamic, friendly, eloquent, creative…and over the years we would run into each other working on our projects around the community. The last time I saw Susan was at Rod Shippey’s testimonial dinner. There I was reminded that Susan had been the moving force behind the Simple Living Workshops – those were major cultural events for our transplanted generation in Ukiah and a huge contribution to us.
I was sorry when Susan had that “adventure” with the Mendocino College administration. She spoke up – I’m glad she stayed on and continued to enrich the education community.
I’m so sorry I missed the remembrance event – It’s so shocking to have lost her so young. It’s a tragedy for our community. So sad. It’s nice to read the uplifting comments at this website. Thank you. Susan will be remembered for a long, long time.
Thinking of you with love, Susan, on Valentine’s Day 2010. How you enjoyed celebrations. You went above and beyond to make every event special. Being in California without your cheery smile was not anything I expected to experience. Neill shared beautiful pictures of you for everyone to enjoy at your memorial celebration. What memories these photos brought. I miss you and I love you. I speak for everyone in your immediate family and your extended family and friends as well. How I wish I could once again pick up the phone and wish you a person to person HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY! In a way I can not comprehend I hope you are aware of how you made a difference in the lives of others.
Love, your older sister Connie
Thanks for this sweet valentine to Susan. I’m sure that we are all reaching her, just as I’m sure she lives on in our hearts and continues to have conversations with us. Neill
Dear Neill,
Thank you so much for providing those of us who cared about Susan a wonderful occasion to celebrate Susan’s remarkable life. I regret that I was not able to stay to greet you personally.
Like you, we came to Mendocino County during 1972. I remember Susan from Pegasus and the Community Center.
I really got to know Susan when I was on the County Board of Education and Susan was working with ROP. We both served on a sub-committee responsible for reviewing ROP student applications for scholarships. After we selected the candidates on a point system known only to each of us individually, we talked about the candidates and compared scores. It was downright uncanny how, for several years, Susan and I had almost the exact same numbers for dozens of candidates. I remained on the committee mostly because I knew I’d be spending time with Susan.
I last saw Susan during a local humane society fund-raiser “My Mother’s Mink”. She thoughtfully brought her mother. Both looked quite fetching and obviously enjoyed themselves. With some gentle nudging from Susan, her mother shared some fasincating stories from her own youth. I’m sure Susan had heard them a million times, but she laughed that wonderful laugh of hers as if she’d heard the story for the first time.
Please know that my thoughts are with you, Susan’s family and close friends. I am one of the many community members whose life Susan touched for which I will always be grateful.
Nancy Adams
Hi Neill — I just visited the website and will be back to see more. I wanted to let you know that I often think of Susan at work here, and miss running into her for a quick chat. Be well and we’ll see you soon, I’m sure.
Meridith
Last night Susan came into my dream. My two year old son, Landon was playing in the bathtub. Landon stood up and suddenly fell into the tub. When he fell, his left ear slammed into the water. He struggled in the water. Every time Landon tried to stand up, he would slip back into the water. Between gasps of breath, he was screaming in pain and holding his ear. Susan ran into the bathroom and quickly got him out the tub. She put ear drops in his ear that helped him to stop screaming almost immediately. Susan held and soothed Landon as he quietly sobbed and buried himself into arms. I stood behind her, watching as she cared for my son. The most significant thing about this dream for me was that I was not in state panic or fear. Somehow I was completely calm. I had total confidence in Susan. I knew Susan knew exactly how to take away Landon’s pain.
This dream reminds me that Susan is always with us.
Cristina Trette (Susan’s niece)
Cristina’s experience tells us all that there are dimensions beyond what we see in everyday life. I know that Cristina is the kind of mother who wouldn’t stand by while someone else is caring for her hurt child, even in a dream. Thanks for sharing with me and others who knew Susan as the caring, compassionate and trusted guardian she was in life and–it seems–beyond her existence here with us. Yes, I think Susan continues to be part of our lives, and the lives of those we love. Thank you, Crissie!
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