J. G. married
Susan Diane Williams, daughter of
Grover Cleveland Williams (12 Aug 1915-13 Dec 2003) &
Marian Mitchell (23 Dec 1917-7 Feb 1997).
Born on 7 Nov 1942 in Lockport, Niagara County, New York. Susan Diane died in Queensbury, Warren County, New York, on 1 Sep 2009; she was 66.
Social Security Death Index
Susan W. Davis, b. 7 Nov 1942, d. 1 Sep 2009, last residence 12804 Queensbury NY
PostStar 1 Sep 2009
QUEENSBURY - Susan Williams Davis, of Queensbury, N.Y., passed away peacefully at home on Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2009, surrounded by her family and friends after a brave fight with pancreatic cancer. She was 66.
Born in Lockport, N.Y. on Nov. 7, 1942, she was the daughter of the late Grover and Marian Williams. She attended Mary Fletcher School of Nursing in Burlington, Vt., where she met John Davis of Greensboro, Vt. They were married on July 22, 1962, at The First Methodist Church in Bennington, Vt. After marrying, they lived in Los Angeles, Calif., where their two children, Sheri and Scott, were born. They returned east to live in New York state in 1966, and have lived in the same home in Queensbury for the past 32 years.
Susan loved to learn and actively pursued knowledge, returning to school while her children were young, graduating in 1975, from the Hudson Valley Community College nursing program and later from Russell Sage College. She worked as a registered nurse at St. Clare's Hospital in Schenectady and at Glens Falls Hospital between 1975 and 1986. She then served as a Washington County public health nurse until 1995. Continuing her desire to care for others, she graduated in 1997, from Yeshiva University with a master's in social work. She then became a social worker at Community Hospice of Saratoga and at the Baywood Center in Queensbury, after which she established a private practice as a psychotherapist in 2000, retiring in 2007.
Susan was drawn to Buddhist philosophy in recent years and was dedicated to promoting peace in all areas of life, starting from within. She meditated regularly and attended retreats periodically, remaining silent for as long as three weeks. She was an active member of Caldwell Presbyterian Church in Lake George for many years before joining the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Glens Falls. There she became a founding member of the Peace Center dedicated to raising private and public awareness of the importance and benefits of peaceful coexistence. Susan respected all religions and spiritual practices, believing that love and compassion are the common bonds for all humanity to live together peacefully.
Susan was always very loving and present and had a special quality that made everyone she met feel like they were the most important persons in the world - because they were to her. She had many wonderful friends and brought them together in varied ways. An avid reader, she started "The Bread and Book Club" at her home. She also participated in a weekly meditation group for many years. Her friends and family can attest to her positive attitude, fun sense of humor, and penchant for silly puns.
She was admired as a self-taught and knowledgeable gardener, expressing her love and respect for the natural world by creating beautiful, welcoming flower gardens at her home for all to enjoy. Most recently, she created a meditation garden complete with peace roses where her dearly loved cat Sasha "meditates" in the sun.
Her desire to improve and care for both the local and world environment was expressed in many ways. She took part in and promoted a broad variety of issues including reuse, recycling and composting, the movement of community-supported agriculture and environmentally responsible transportation and development. She participated in grassroots initiatives such as Choices for Sustainable Living and Voluntary Simplicity to improve her knowledge of how to explore and improve personal values and attitudes.
Susan loved to travel and hiked coast-to-coast in England and traveled to Japan as part of the local Saga City- Sister City program. She and John visited most of the U.S. and especially enjoyed hiking and exploring natural treasures such as our National Parks. They visited and hiked in many faraway places such as New Zealand and most recently Peru and Ecuador, but maybe most of all she loved and enjoyed the peace and solitude of snowshoeing, cross-country skiing and canoe camping on quiet lakes and ponds.
Susan loved her family and leaves behind John, her husband of more than 47 years; her daughter, Sheri Davis O'Brien, her husband, Timothy, and their children, Davis, James and Hailey (grandchildren cherished dearly by Susan) of Holliston, Mass.; and her son, Scott Warner Davis of Rohnert Park, Calif. She is survived by her brother, Steven Williams and his wife, Ann of Glens Falls, their daughter, Kristen Williams, and siblings by marriage, Steven Williams Jr., Todd Williams, Kelly Hurley, Timothy Nelson, and Doug Nelson and families. She was predeceased by her older brother, Grover Williams III. She is survived by Grover's wife, Linda Lambert, and their children, Robin Ewald and Mark Williams and families. She is also survived by her husband John's two sisters whom she regarded and loved as her own sisters, Nancy Hill of Greensboro, Vt., and Sylvia Vatalaro and her husband, Charles, of Latham, and their children, John and Christopher Vatalaro and families; as well as many other beloved relatives, cousins, in-laws and very special friends.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Susan's memory to the Adirondack Foothills Peace Center at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation, 21 Weeks Road, Queensbury, NY 12804 are suggested.
At Susan's request, her ashes will be scattered at her favorite places: her flower gardens; in the ocean at Bailey Island, Maine, home of her family's dear friend, David Gardner; and at her beloved Green Pond.
A memorial service and celebration of her life will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 12, 2009, at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation, 21 Weeks Road, Queensbury, N.Y.
The family wishes to thank her caring doctor, Dr. Aqeel Gillani, and P.A, Donna Boss, along with the finest nurses and staff we could ask for at the C.R. Wood Cancer Center and Tower 2 of Glens Falls Hospital, and the compassionate home care workers who so dearly supported Susan during her courageous journey these past eight months. They are also very grateful to the staff of High Peaks Hospice.