Suzanne McDowell

1932 - 2022

Suzanne McDowell

March 6, 1932 - March 27, 2022

Alice Suzanne Lester Bruce McDowell passed away peacefully March 27, 2022 at age 90. She was a well-respected social worker, and a kind and fun mother and grandmother. She thought that what she did best for her children was to enjoy them. She had a rich life full of humor and connections with others. She believed in enjoying everyday pleasures.

Suzanne was born March 6, 1932, in Norfolk Virginia. Her parents, Helen and Louis Lester had three children: Lou, Elaine (twins) and Suzanne.

When she was 9, in 1941, her family moved to West Chester, Pennsylvania. Then they lived in Lenape and Suzanne went to West Chester High School. During her teenage years, she had a horse named Little Boy. She trained the horse herself and taught him to jump. She loved horses and dogs all her life. She got a BA degree from Emory and Henry College in Emory, Virginia where she met Creed Bruce Junior. She married him June 6, 1953. They moved to Santa Rosa after Creeds army service, and later Hanford, California. They had 3 children: Nancy, Creed III, and David.

Suzanne began a career in social work in Kings County in 1967. In 1977 she and Creed divorced. She married Emmett McDowell. As a testament of grace and forgiveness, these three remained friends for the rest of their lives. Suzanne and Emmett lived in Michigan, Sacramento, and then Benicia, California. Suzanne got her Masters degree in Social Work from Sacramento State in 1986. She retired in 1998 after a fulfilling career, and enjoyed hobbies including hiking, birding, gardening, and especially traveling overseas with Emmett. They went to England, France and Italy.

Suzanne developed her artistic talent after she retired and enjoyed painting watercolors. Her family members have many of her paintings, and she won Best of Show at the Kings County Fair in her 80s. She and Emmett moved to Valley Christian Home in Hanford in 2015. Emmett passed away in 2017.

She is survived by her sister, Elaine Lynn of Sanger and many nieces and nephews. She is also survived by her children and their spouses: Nancy and Danny Sciacqua, Creed and Nancy Bruce, and David and Mary Bruce; also 4 grandchildren and their partners: Carly Sciacqua and her husband, Scott Henderson; Tyler Sciacqua and Anna Kennedy; David Bruce II, and Emily Bruce and Brenton Pyle, her fiance. She has 2 great grandchildren: Ansel James Sciacqua Henderson and Olema Alice Henderson.

The family is grateful for the help and support of Valley Christian Home and Quail Park Memory Care. A graveside service will be held May 10, 2022, at 9 a.m. at Grangeville Cemetery, 10428 14th Avenue, Armona, CA. In lieu of flowers, Suzanne requested donations to be sent to Doctors Without Borders.