Becky Howard

Sometimes you just can not find the right words... but you try anyway.

After graduation, we each took off, down our own paths...each chasing our own dreams.  Life got busy; life often got too complicated... but we furthered our education, we pursued our careers, we loved, we nurtured our families, we discovered ourselves.  Along this journey, we made new friends, but even in the midst of this wirlwind we never forgot our old friends... those who we spent those precious teenage years growing up with and all the fun times we had together.  (I wish we had digital cameras back in those days, as we seem to have a shortage of photos to go along with all those memories!)  Life has brought us each to the place we now find ourselves.  I reflect back on how I have taken for granted that our friends were gonna be there, once our own lives settled down... only to be grieved that some dear friends have left us all too soon...all too young.

Susan was among the first friends that I made at Stivers our freshman year.  We went to the homecoming dance together along with some other friends.  We shared multiple classes together sophomore year...then we had EVERY class together our junior & senior years.  Being in Cosmetology was like being in a sorority, but because we were forced to be together the WHOLE school day, 5 days a week for 9 months, those last 2 years of high school, I did not usually spent much time with the girls outside of school...as it was nice to get some space & hang out with some of my other friends.  That being said, there was such a sisterhood among us...even though we each were closer to some, more than others.  Then after graduation we were ready to spread our wings and just fly.  I am so happy to be back in touch with many of you... and Susan is missed more than ever.

Susan had such an infectious love for life!  I can still hear her laughter.  I can still see her smile.  I can still remember us hugging each other & crying at graduation.  Now, I see her in her children.  I am so glad that she had someone as wonderful as John.  I wish that I had one more chance to hug her and tell her I love her.

Today would have been her birthday, so I am remembering my dear friend and trusting that she is smiling today. Thanks for the good times Susan... looking forward to more when we are together again!

Tina Martin (Martin-Brown)

I have tried several times to comment here but each time I got too full inside to finish.  I was awkward in high school and the cosmo girls were family to me.  Susan always teased me because I never wore makeup or curled my hair.  It was always good natured and she always made me laugh.  That is the one thing I remember most about Susan was how she had this uncontrollable, uninhibited joyful laughter.  You just had to laugh with her no matter what she was laughing at.  She was always friendly and always listened if you had something to say.  She always made you feel that if it was important to you then it was important to her and if she could help in any way she would.  People are dynamic and diverse and it is very hard to put into words what you feel about someone.  We were all growing up with all the drama, issues and teenage problems that came with it.  I am just so glad that I had the chance to know her, that smile and that laughter and her very essence will live forever in my heart.  Life, Problems, The Good, The Bad, it all comes and goes but GIRLZ ARE FOREVER...LOVE YOU SUSAN!