Suzanne S. Towler

Towler, Suzanne S.
Oct. 20, 1929 - Dec. 21, 2009

Suzanne S. Towler, 80, of Sarasota died Dec. 21, 2009.
Services will be 3 p.m. on Jan. 16 in Pilgrim Hall, Plymouth Harbor, 700 John Ringling Blvd., Sarasota. Toale Brothers Funeral Home, Colonial Chapel, is handling the arrangements.
Suzanne S. Towler was born in Brooklyn, N.Y., and grew up in Darien, Conn. She attended Walnut Hill School and graduated from Bennett Junior College and then the Child Education Foundation School in New York.
After marrying in 1952, she taught homebound children in California. After the family moved back east, she subsequently raised four children while being involved in the numerous communities that the family lived in and the children's school and college activities. She was deeply involved in both Louisville, Ky. and Dayton, Ohio.
When retirement came in 1984, she became involved in the Sarasota community. She was an officer in the Siesta Key Association, heading up the Beautification Committee. She was a member of Founders Garden Club for many years and served as president for a term.
She was involved in the New College Foundation, serving as chairman of the William Bartram Society involved with beautification of plantings on the campus. She was a former member of the Junior League. As a volunteer of the Sarasota Memorial Hospital Auxiliary she worked in Patient Discharge Services. She was awarded the Doctor of Philanthropy designation from Sarasota Memorial Healthcare Foundation.
She traveled widely in many parts of the globe, always interested in other cultures and people. She was a tennis player for many years.
She is survived by her husband of 57 years, Thomas H. Towler; their children, Edward "Ned" of Louisville, Jill Sutherland of Lexington, Ky., Jon of Atlanta, Willard "Bill" of Tulsa, Okla.; and 10 grandchildren, Jennifer, Scott and Jeffrey of Louisville, Christie, Katie and Shelby of Lexington, Thomas and Daniel of Atlanta, and Emily and Jack of Tulsa; sister Barbara Dunlap of Austin; and her sister-in-law, Jane Smiley, of Sarasota.
Memorial donations are suggested to the Sarasota Memorial Healthcare Foundation Inc., 1515 S. Osprey Ave., Suite B4, Sarasota, FL 34239.