Susan Rene Birnbaum

Susan Rene Birnbaum, passed away August 2, 2005 at her Chicago home following a 9-year battle with breast cancer. She was 46 years old. Funeral services will be 11 a.m. Friday, August 5, at The Louis Memorial Chapel, 6830 Troost Ave., Kansas City, MO. Burial at Mt. Carmel Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in memory of Susan Birnbaum to a charity of your choice. A native of Kansas City, Susan graduated in 1977 from Shawnee Mission South High School. She attended the University of Kansas, graduating in 1981 with a degree from the William Allen White School of Journalism and Mass Communications. After college, Susan joined Intertec Publishing (now part of Primedia, Inc.) in Chicago where she continued her career in publishing, holding positions at Cahners Publishing Co. (now Reed Business Information) and Vegetarian Times. Later, she joined Halo Branded Solutions, a marketer of promotional products for businesses. While Susan continued to work full time in publishing and related fields as long as her health permitted, her first love always was spending time with children. She was a loving and attentive aunt to her sister's children and was called Aunt Susan by many of friends' children. She worked as a volunteer at Children's Memorial Hospital and most recently was a volunteer at Manierre Elementary School in Chicago. Susan gained particular satisfaction from her time at Manierre, working as a teacher's assistant and offering additional attention to students with special needs. Not long before her death, Susan remarked, ''Working in the school was the best job I ever had''. After rehabilitating in Kansas City following a serious medical complication last spring, Susan returned to Chicago in July, hoping to be back at Manierre when school opens later this month. She will be missed by her family, friends, colleagues and students. Known for her kind demeanor combined with a gentle sense of humor, Susan never forgot a birthday and was credited with keeping her family connected. First diagnosed with breast cancer in 1996, Susan suffered a recurrence six years ago. Throughout her illness, Susan fought valiantly against the disease and to preserve her dignity and quality of life, even as the disease took a steady and progressive toll on her body. She also showed tremendous caring for others, family and friends, suffering from cancer. In 2002, Susan participated in the three-day Avon Walk for Breast Cancer. Intensely private, calls asking about Susan's well-being were often expertly deflected by her own inquires about the caller. Susan is survived by her parents, Leibert and Miriam Birnbaum; sister and brother-in-law, Sharon and Jay Luschen; nephews, Joshua, Michael and Eric Luschen; nieces, Hannah and Courtney Luschen. (Arr: The Louis Memorial Chapel, 816-361-5211).