Susan Stoner Pitts

Susan Stoner Pitts, known as Susie, Mom, or Grandma to those who loved her, passed away on Monday, November 24, 2025. She faced a sudden, aggressive cancer with grace and courage, surrounded by the family she devoted her life to.

Susie was born in Coronado, California, to Howard F. Stoner, Sr. and Helen Withers Stoner. Growing up in a Navy family, she moved during childhood, but the California coast remained an important part of her life. She attended high school in Morro Bay, graduated from UC Santa Barbara, and later lived in San Francisco. These experiences helped shape her outgoing nature, openness, and optimism.

Susie eventually moved to Virginia and met her husband, David Pitts, while working for United Airlines. They became friends before falling in love, and together they built a marriage marked by warmth, loyalty, and 48 years of companionship.

She is survived by her husband, David; her children, Helen Strickler (Christopher) and Thomas Pitts (Fresca); and her grandchildren, Christina, Aubrey, and Scott. She is also survived by her brother, Howard F. Stoner, Jr., and her sister, Lorena Stoner Plump.

A lifelong learner, Susie earned her master’s degree in her 50s from the University of Tennessee, fulfilling her dream of becoming a librarian. She went on to spend many meaningful years working in the Pamunkey Library system, where she was known for her kindness, thoughtfulness, and the joy she took in connecting people with books and information.

She loved creating things through sewing and knitting, and she enjoyed traveling and discovering new places with David and her family. Above all, Susie cherished being a mother and grandmother. She spent years substitute teaching and volunteering in her children’s schools, choosing work that kept her close to them. In her later years, nothing brought her more happiness than her role as grandma.

Susie’s life was defined by kindness, love, optimism, and a deep devotion to her family. Her joy and warmth touched everyone who knew her. She will be profoundly missed and lovingly remembered.