Susan Skewes

East Lyme - Susan (Morrow) Skewes, 58, beloved wife of Frank A. Skewes Jr., passed away at her home in Niantic on Thursday, June 20, 2013. She died of breast cancer diagnosed 4-1/2 years ago.

Susan was born on Sept. 23, 1954, in Middletown, the daughter of Richard M. and the late Lillian (Scully) Morrow of Deep River. She was married to Frank A. Skewes Jr. on Jan. 19, 1980.

Sue started her nursing career as an LPN and later became a registered nurse through Mohegan Community College in Norwich. She worked for many years at Lawrence + Memorial Hospital and finished her career in the rheumatology clinic at the Backus Outpatient Care Center in Norwich.

While employed at L+M, Sue became the orthopedic nurse clinician and became very interested in wound and skin care while treating her patients. After much research on wound care, she developed skin care protocols that significantly reduced the incidence and severity of bedsores in her patients. She developed a new patient bathing practice that became known as the Bag Bath. The hospital adopted the Bag Bath through the entire hospital.

In concert with Incline Technologies, Sue helped develop a marketable product for the health care industry which is still manufactured and distributed today at Apodan LLC in Denmark. Susan held a U.S. Patent for the Bag Bath as its inventor. As the vice president at Incline Technologies, Sue began a 12-year adventure, with trips to England, Germany and Denmark marketing and supporting Bag Bath.

Sue's hobbies included golf (she had a hole-in-one on hole 12 at Shennecosset Golf Course); boating with cruises to Cuttyhunk, Marthas Vineyard, Nantucket and Provincetown; fishing (she holds the family record for fluke with the catch of a 29-inch monster weighing over 10 pounds); stained glass; gardening; cooking; and reading. She was also a volunteer with the Southeastern Connecticut Community Emergency Response Team (CERT). Susie was a true renaissance woman; she never stopped trying to learn more about life and what it had to offer.

She had a great sense of humor and a way with people that was endearing. She had a large extended family and many lifelong friends. She will be sorely missed by all who knew her and loved her.

She is survived by her huband, Frank; her father, Richard M. Morrow, and stepmother, Jean of Chester; her brother, Rick Morrow and his wife, Lorrie, of Chester; step-brother, Mike Riley of Deep River; step-sister, Patty Riley of Chester; sister-in-law, Beverly DeFord and her husband, Marty, of Niantic; brother-in-law, Alan Skewes and his wife, Sharon, of D'Iberville, Miss.; sister-in law, Jacki Wright and her husband, Ralph, of Morgan, Utah; sister-in law, Elaine Reeves and her husband, Tim, of Las Cruces, N.M.; brother-in-law, Gary Skewes of Washington State; sister-in-law, Jeneen Skewes of Cromwell; 15 nieces and nephews; and 17 grand-nieces and grand-nephews. She also leaves behind her close friends. Robie Grzyb of East Lyme and Debbie Gillig of Niantic.

Susan was predeceased by her mother, Lillian Morrow in 1981.

There are no visiting hours. A celebration of Susan's life is scheduled for 11 a.m. July 5 at the Deep River Congregational Church. Interment will be private.

Thomas L. Neilan & Sons of Niantic are assisting the family with arrangements.

Sincere thanks to Dr. Vanessa Johnson and the entire staff at Oncology and Hematology Associates in New London, and to the Center for Hospice Care of Southeast Connecticut, especially Dawn, Sue's visiting RN.

East Lyme - Susan Morrow Skewes, 58, beloved wife of Frank A. Skewes Jr., passed away at her home in Niantic on Thursday, June 20, 2013. She died of breast cancer diagnosed 4-1/2 years ago.

Susan was born on Sept. 23, 1954, in Middletown, the daughter of Richard M. and the late Lillian (Scully) Morrow of Deep River. She was married to Frank A. Skewes Jr. on Jan. 19, 1980.

Sue started her nursing career as an LPN and later became a registered nurse through Mohegan Community College in Norwich. She worked for many years at Lawrence + Memorial Hospital and finished her career in the rheumatology clinic at the Backus Outpatient Care Center in Norwich.

While employed at L+M, Sue became the orthopedic nurse clinician and became very interested in wound and skin care while treating her patients. After much research on wound care, she developed skin care protocols that significantly reduced the incidence and severity of bedsores in her patients. She developed a new patient bathing practice that became known as the Bag Bath. The hospital adopted the Bag Bath through the entire hospital.

In concert with Incline Technologies, Sue helped develop a marketable product for the health care industry which is still manufactured and distributed today at Apodan LLC in Denmark. Susan held a U.S. Patent for the Bag Bath as its inventor. As the vice president at Incline Technologies, Sue began a 12-year adventure, with trips to England, Germany and Denmark marketing and supporting Bag Bath.

Sue's hobbies included golf (she had a hole-in-one on hole 12 at Shennecosset Golf Course); boating with cruises to Cuttyhunk, Marthas Vineyard, Nantucket and Provincetown; fishing (she holds the family record for fluke with the catch of a 29-inch monster weighing over 10 pounds); stained glass; gardening; cooking; and reading. She was also a volunteer with the Southeastern Connecticut Community Emergency Response Team (CERT). Susie was a true renaissance woman; she never stopped trying to learn more about life and what it had to offer.

She had a great sense of humor and a way with people that was endearing. She had a large extended family and many lifelong friends. She will be sorely missed by all who knew her and loved her.

She is survived by her huband, Frank; her father, Richard M. Morrow, and stepmother, Jean of Chester; her brother, Rick Morrow and his wife, Lorrie, of Chester; step-brother, Mike Riley of Deep River; step-sister, Patty Riley of Chester; sister-in-law, Beverly DeFord and her husband, Marty, of Niantic; brother-in-law, Alan Skewes and his wife, Sharon, of D'Iberville, Miss.; sister-in law, Jacki Wright and her husband, Ralph, of Morgan, Utah; sister-in law, Elaine Reeves and her husband, Tim, of Las Cruces, N.M.; brother-in-law, Gary Skewes of Washington State; sister-in-law, Jeneen Skewes of Cromwell; 15 nieces and nephews; and 17 grand-nieces and grand-nephews. She also leaves behind her close friends. Robie Grzyb of East Lyme and Debbie Gillig of Niantic.

Susan was predeceased by her mother, Lillian Morrow in 1981.

There are no visiting hours. A celebration of Susan's life is scheduled for 11 a.m. July 5 at the Deep River Congregational Church. Interment will be private.

Thomas L. Neilan & Sons of Niantic are assisting the family with arrangements.

Sincere thanks to Dr. Vanessa Johnson and the entire staff at Oncology and Hematology Associates in New London, and to the Center for Hospice Care of Southeast Connecticut, especially Dawn, Sue's visiting RN.

Memorial donations may be made to the Terri Brodeur Breast Cancer Foundation, or the the charity of the donor's choice.

Memorial donations may be made to the Terri Brodeur Breast Cancer Foundation, or the the charity of the donor's choice.