1968

Suzanne Coleman ’68 was born in Ohio to Mildred K. and Thomas F. Coleman. They moved to Palos Verdes, California, where she became the eldest of four siblings: Tom, John, and Patti. Sue graduated from Marymount High School, where she enjoyed performing roles in theatrical musical productions like Oklahoma and Brigadoon. Sue completed her B.A. at SCU and a master’s in education from UC Berkeley. During her junior year of college she studied for a year at the Institute of European Studies in Vienna. Over the course of that year she spent every school break traveling with friends to over a dozen countries as well as taking ski lessons.In her early 20s she moved to Washington, D.C., where she worked as an intern for U.S. Sen. Alan Cranston of California. Following that assignment she landed a job with the Department of Justice, civil rights division, as a paralegal. There she met her first husband, Steve Passek, who was a Justice Department lawyer. Soon they transferred to the civil rights division in San Francisco and settled in Noe Valley. Within a few years Sue made a career change, obtaining her real estate license and selling real estate in the then-booming Noe Valley area. Eventually they bought a house in Mill Valley. Smart, resourceful, and exuberant for life, even after a divorce, Susie moved to Skylark Apartments in Larkspur as the assistant manager. There she found her true calling in the healing arts, becoming first a massage therapist, then a certified hypnotherapist and stress management consultant, and finally a master certified coach (MCC). She became a published writer, workshop leader, spoke at numerous conferences locally and nationally, and trained coach therapists. She worked with entrepreneurs, people in career transition, and really began to specialize in adults with ADHD. Much of her practice with clients was done over the phone from her home office. Of her work she would say: “I am really helping people and I get to do it in my pajamas.” During this period she met husband Bob, and they settled in the Oakland Hills, often taking relaxing trips to the Russian River, where they built a dream vacation home in the redwoods. Together they enjoyed swimming, cooking, and travel. Sue passed away on Aug. 23, 2019, at the age of 72—with her loving family at her side. She is predeceased by her parents. She is survived by Bob, her loving husband of 20 years, her brothers Tom and John, sisters-in-law Susan and Jodi, sister Patti, nephews Jason, Kyle, Michael, and John, niece Tara, stepdaughters Arin and Ilana, son-in-law Ben, daughter-in-law Zena, and four grandchildren, Gabi, Zeke, Jude, and Sana, as well as Colin, Josie, and Charlie, her great-nephews and great-niece.

03 Dec 2019