SUSAN BAZELL

1940 - 2012

SUSAN BAZELL Butte County has lost a great friend and avid protector of the environment. Susan Davidson Bazell died on December 1, 2012 after a short illness. Born in San Francisco, California in 1940, Susan was 71 years old. A graduate of the University of California at Berkeley, Susan lived most of her life with her late husband, Haskel Bazell in the Bay Area. Throughout her life she developed a keen interest in botany and applied her extraordinary artistic talents to become a first class botanical illustrator. Her drawings have been published in The Life of an Oak: An Intimate Portrait by Glen Keator, and illustrated by Susan Bazell, and Plants of the East Bay Parks, by Glen Keator and illustrated by Peg Steunenberg and Susan Bazell. Her illustrations also appear in two other publications: Conifers of California, by Ronald M. Lanner and Cacti, Agaves, and Yuccas of California and Nevada, by Stephen Ingram. Susan and her husband retired to Paradise, CA, where she found a serenity and deep contentment. She loved living and hiking in the foothills and mountains of the region and making annual visits with friends to the Southern California deserts, catching the spring wildflower seasons and collecting specimens for her drawings. She took particular delight in designing and cultivating her own native plant garden. Susan was an active volunteer and board member of a number of local organizations including: The California Native Plant Society, The friends of Bidwell Park, and The Chico State Herbarium, as well as a long time supporter of the American Civil Liberties Union. Susan is survived by her brother, Russ Davidson and sister-in-law, Revathi A-Davidson; and niece, Paloma Davidson, all of Albuquerque, NM; her stepson, David Bazell and his children, Jason, Graham, Kayla Alicia and Avery Bazell, all of Columbia, MD. She will also be missed by her many good friends. Services entrusted to the Neptune Society of No. CA Chico Branch.