Susan Ruth DEVOTO

On August 23rd, Susan left us after a prolonged battle with brain cancer. She was born Susan Ruth Peters on May 7th, 1950, in San Francisco, CA. The third child in a family of six, Susan grew up in El Cerrito and attended El Cerrito High School. In 1972, she graduated with Honors from UC Berkeley with a degree in Political Science. After a banking career in the Trust Department of Wells Fargo, she married Stan Devoto on August 3rd, 1975 and began farming in Sebastopol. In fall of 1976 they harvested their first crop of apples, planted micro-greens and diverse vegetables. Susan continued her education by taking agriculture courses at Santa Rosa Junior College where Professor Bob Cannard, Sr. inspired her to plant cut flowers on the farm, which still continues as a lucrative business. She always put her family first, giving birth to daughters Christina, Jolie and Cecily between 1984 and 1989. As an active community member, she served on farmers' market boards, the West Sonoma County School Board, volunteered with the Scott Lane teen counseling project and was active in SITE and the Parent Teacher Association. She spent much of her free time gardening and had a deep appreciation and knowledge for plant life. It's no surprise that she worked as a wedding floral designer. In her free time, she loved to read and became a prolific glass fusion artist. Her passion for travel led her to China, Southeast Asia, the South Pacific, South America, Hawaii, the Caribbean, and all over Europe. It also inspired her to study Spanish and Italian and explore dishes from Europe, South America and Asia in the kitchen. Like her friend Bill Utzinger, there was never a bottle of wine she wouldn't try. She continued her winemaking education at UC Davis and made two vintages of pinot noir from her family vineyards. Susan leaves behind three beautiful daughters, her devoted husband of 38 years, and her loving and supportive community of friends. In honor of her life, the family will host a celebration, details pending. The family thanks the community for all the delicious meals and love that they've shared.