Susan Thear Llewellyn

Susan Thear Llewellyn passed away on Sunday April 1 in Plattsburgh, New York, from complications of Alzheimer's, she would have turned 74 next month. Susie was born in Springfield Massachusetts in 1944 but she proudly called Plattsburgh home and lived most of her life on Hamilton Street in The Point Historic District. Her mother Phyllis Jane (Wright) Llewellyn was born here, and her father Don was stationed at Plattsburgh Barracks, Company B, 26th Infantry Regiment, 1st Division just down the street. Whenever Don was reassigned, Jane, Susie and her older brothers Don Jr. and Stewart came too. She loved to recount their adventures, running across rooftops in Nome, Alaska when snow was high, or eating coconuts in Puerto Rico.

She graduated from PHS and worked first at the Air Force Base, and then for the City Clerk's Office as a data processor for thirty years. She would say with a sly chuckle that she told every police officer she met that "I do your paycheck so you better be nice to me." But Plattsburgh was more than Susie's home town, it was her devotion. She scanned the papers each Friday, strategizing with her mom and her good friend Kaye on which auctions to see on both sides of Lake Champlain. She was in search of antiques, vintage Bakelite jewelry, Plattsburgh memorabilia, Barbara Streisand's every recording, along with watering cans, Maxfield Parrish posters, and Chinese mudmen figurines. If Susie was interested in something, you could be sure she had acquired a collection.

Politics and politicking, whether working for the City's employee union or on Clyde Rabideau's reelections, fascinated Susie. Vintage clothes and high heels were her style in the 1960s and 70s, and she would throw fantastic parties, supplying flamboyant hats for all. She could be boisterously funny, a little ribald and sometimes outrageous - and loved being the center of attention. She could also be stubborn, and everyone knew that her best friend Debbie had the patience of Job.

The garden on Hamilton Street was legendary, and people would ask about the sunflower fence in the back. Any visit to the family home usually included a "Susie" project that must be accomplished to earn maple walnut ice cream. The sunflower fence was one of these assignments. As Stewart once said, "I hate to go by the house because Susie will put me to work." Her mother Jane was the center of her life, but she always had a soft spot for her nieces Kim and Katy, and nephew Dave, and any request was usually granted.

Susie is survived by Deborah Barrett, her brother Don and his spouse Carol, niece Kimberly Llewellyn and her partner Jim Joyal, nephew Dave Llewellyn and his spouse Mandy, Yuki Llewellyn, six grandnieces and nephews, and her dog Max. A celebration of life is being planned and will be announced at a later date. To share a photo, story, or condolence with Susie's family, please visit www.rwwalkerfh.com .

Alzheimer's is a terrible disease, but its one kindness is that Susie never knew the outcome of the last presidential election. For her, Hillary is now POTUS, Clyde is serving a sixth term as mayor, and all is right with the world.