Age 77
Sister Susan’s life was a testament to the Mercy values of service, justice, compassion, and faith. Throughout her life, Sister Susan was known for her extraordinary work ethic, infectious sense of humor, warmth, and generosity.
Born in Hancock, Michigan, she attended McAuley High School in Cincinnati, Ohio, where she first encountered the Sisters of Mercy. Witnessing the meaningful lives of service lived by the sisters profoundly influenced her and inspired her to enter the Sisters of Mercy upon her high school graduation.
She earned a bachelor’s degree in social sciences from Edgecliff College in Cincinnati, Ohio, and a master’s degree in social work from Barry University in Miami, Florida. During her formation, a spiritual mentor encouraged her to place herself in a situation entirely unfamiliar to discern God’s unique call for her life. Following that guidance, she traveled to Jamaica in 1971, a decision that would shape the course of her life’s work.
In Kingston, Jamaica, she first served at the Alpha Girls’ School and later at the Alpha Boys’ School. Returning to the United States, she made her final vows as a Sister of Mercy and served as a social worker in a Cincinnati hospital ministry. Yet her heart remained firmly connected to Jamaica, a country that had become her second home.
In 1977, Sister Susan returned to Jamaica and began her ministry at St. John Bosco Boys’ Home, where she became a beloved mother figure to hundreds of boys in state care. Throughout her career, Sister Susan’s leadership and commitment to the development of young Jamaicans led to her appointment as executive director of St. John Bosco Boys’ Home, Alpha Girls’ School, and Alpha Boys’ School. She later served as a leadership team member for the Sisters of Mercy in Jamaica, providing dedicated and visionary leadership to the Mercy community throughout the island.
In later years, after decades of nurturing and educating children and youth, Sister Susan led the transition of the residential programs at Alpha Boys’ School and St. John Bosco Boys’ Home into skills-training day programs, equipping young people with tools for self-sufficiency and success. Her vision has left a lasting legacy in Jamaica’s educational and social services landscape.