Susan Elaine ALLAN

1957 - 2021

SUSAN ELAINE ALLAN November 22, 1957 - January 2021 Sue passed peacefully in Toronto, in her 63rd year. The youngest child of John "Jack" Frederick Allan and Kay Allan, Sue was born in Belleville and spent her early days in Trenton. Her love of storytelling led her to journalism and that led her to the Globe and Mail, where she worked for Canada's national newspaper for 37 years before retiring. She loved her career and held roles across customer service and editorial before moving to Technology Editor and managing information architecture. The digital archive project brought together her love of history, technology and the stories behind everyday people. Best-ever sister to John (Joanne), Toni Howells, and Sandra (Robert) Pender, the sisters are heartbroken to have lost her. One of the smartest and kindest humans ever, Sue and her sisters often road-tripped to Vegas to gamble and people watch. Her gambling skills were born out of years spent around the Trenton kitchen table playing euchre, rummoli, and scrabble-where tales of the fish that got away at the family fishing camp, and dreams of the Leafs winning again were always hot topics. She collected comics before collecting comics was cool. She hated green peppers in food. She stood up for herself in the most graceful of ways. She loved her people, hard. She also loved Star Trek and most things sci-fi. She battled breast cancer and kicked its ass. An active volunteer, she could regularly be found assisting seniors and welfare recipients with their taxes. She spoke with so much love and pride of her nieces and nephews, Michael (Ting) Howells, Jodie Gorman, Kevin (Lisa) Pender, Chris Howells, Jarrett Allan, Tracy (Kevin) Skochil and Jay (Nicole) Howells. Great-aunt to Brooklyn, Paige and Jack Howells, and Cameron and Riley Pender, she was the first to tease that even at age 9 most of them were taller than her. She made friends easily, and some became second-family. Those people included Pam, her friend since Grade 7 who she met learning to play the accordion, and Merla who helped her through chemo and more. Loyal and generous, "Sue was the best friend anyone could have" has been said often. It's likely because Sue was the kind of person who took the time to know you, and stayed in touch. She loved to travel and see new places, from cruises to tropical shores and heading out to PEI. It's safe to say she kept the sunscreen companies in business. She lived life on her terms, and inspired her nieces and grand-nieces to know that the only rules you have to follow in life are the ones you set for yourself. The family is planning a virtual memorial in future once Covid-19 restrictions have passed and people can gather. If you would like to make a donation to honour Sue's life, please consider making an In Memory donation to The Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation. "Seize the time. Live now; make now always the most precious time. Now will never come again" - Captain Jean-Luc Picard