In memory

Susan Jeter Ellis died today at around 4:00 a.m. Her younger daughter, Courtney, was there at the hospital with her. Her last days were spent around family and friends who loved her. As by instinct Courtney said Anderson, the baby, leaned down from his dad's arms and kissed Susan on the forehead last night as they were saying good night -- like in some way he knew it was good bye. Susan leaves two daughters, a grandson, two sisters and a brother, nieces, nephews and so many friends from our hometown of Auburn, Ala.

We all loved Susan for the same reasons. She was kind, smart and strong. Her professional as a counselor was perfectly chosen because she had this way of making a person open up and tell her what was really going on past all the bullshit. My mother shared a story with me that one day she was at work with Susan (they both worked for Auburn City Schools). This was after I left home for college and Mom said she was telling Susan how hard it was to adjust to a partially empty nest and then just broke out into tears. That is just the kind of person Susan was -- a wonderful listener and advisor, a strong woman who raised two daughters on her own. My first memory of her was at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church. Lindsay and I both remember the way she used to say, "Heeeeey girls" in her deep southern cigarette drawl. I can hear it now.

My fondest memories of Susan Ellis will always be the conversations I used to have with her, Kim and Courtney in their kitchen on Cahaba Drive. I will always remember the wooden top to their dishwasher that Susan has allowed all the girl's friends to decorate with graffiti. There were so many names and little drawings on that dishwasher cover -- a real Auburn High School artifact. I am sorry that Anderson will not get to know his Mimi and that I didn't get to really talk to her in the past two years since Courtney and I have gotten back in touch. A lot has changed since those 1980s high school days and nights, but I will always appreciate my friendship with all three of the Ellises and appreciate the kindness, intelligence and humor of Susan -- a warm and wonderful woman.

(photo: Susan Ellis with her grandson, Anderson Ellis Ritter, Easter 2005)