Susan S. Newman

Susan S. Newman, 83, of Fort Collins, Colorado, passed away on July 24th, 2018.

Susan was born in Washington D.C. in June 1935. She and her parents lived there until she was 3 years old in a rooming house run by her grandparents on N Street near Dupont Circle. From there the family moved to Miami, where Susan lived until college. During junior high school she took baton lessons and marched in the Orange Bowl Parade for two years. While attending Miami Senior High, she got involved with the Shenandoah Presbyterian Church young people's program and enjoyed singing hymns and the fellowship it offered.

Susan graduated from Wesleyan College in Macon, Georgia in 1957. Wesleyan had an enormous impact on her and she was very fond of her experiences and friendships made there. During her freshman year her mother passed away and the school was very supportive, allowing her time away to say goodbye. Not sure she would be able to continue to attend, a dear friend's father created a special scholarship for Susan and the school also helped. Susan was forever grateful and made sure to pay back every dime, and has supported Wesleyan ever since.

After college Susan worked on Senator Holland's re-election campaign, which brought her back to Washington. From there she took a job on the campaign staff of Senator John F. Kennedy and traveled around the country. After he won the election, she took a position in the Justice Department with Robert Kennedy. During this time, she met her husband Larry, a Secret Service agent on the White House detail. They were married in Seattle in 1962 and not long after they relocated to the San Francisco Bay area where all three of their children were born. From there, they lived in Illinois, then New Jersey, and finally Fort Collins, Colorado, in a house that Susan called "her sanctuary".

Susan was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease at age 48. For the 35 years she had the disease she remained positive and stoic and never once complained. She was extraordinarily determined and full of grace and dignity. We, her children, will forever be in awe of how she conducted herself until the end and how amazing and strong a person she was. She was always grateful for what she had and never let herself be defined by the disease. She was smart, had a dry wit, creative, an avid gardener, well-read, and the best mother we could have asked for. We will miss her dearly and are grateful for the last seven months we got to spend with her at home after Dad died.
Susan is preceded in death by her parents, Harlow and Elizabeth Stankrauff, and her husband Larry. Survivors include her brother, John Stankrauff; daughter Melissa of San Francisco; daughter Michelle of New York City; son Brad of Louisville, CO.

A service is planned for Thursday, August 2nd at Bohlender Funeral Chapel, 121 West Olive Street, Fort Collins, CO. Visitation will be at 1:30pm, memorial service at 2:30pm, with interment to follow in Grandview Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations in Susan Stankrauff Newman's memory may be made to Wesleyan College in Macon, Georgia.