Susan Barrett

Susan Laura Barrett passed away on Wednesday, March 26, 2025, at the age of 67, just as the cherry blossoms she adored began to reach peak bloom, a fitting tribute to her vibrant spirit. She is survived by her husband of 41 years, Scott; her sons, Casey (Katie), Kyle (Kelly), and Connor (Luke); her grandchildren, Riley, Rowan, Finn, and Sophie; and her sister, Janice Greening, and brother, David Lapetina.

Born in Brooklyn on September 10, 1957, Susan spent the first eight years of her life exploring the borough around the Garden Apartments as a free-range kid, often tagging along with her sister, Janice, and cousin, Phyllis. She grew up in a close-knit family, surrounded by her Italian and Polish relatives, whose names inspired countless unbreakable passwords, and fully embraced the New York City lifestyle. Susan created lasting memories with them, like watching the Rockettes at Radio City Music Hall with her aunt and uncle and seeing the Dave Clark Five at a cinema with her mother-even if she didn't get to see the Beatles at Shea Stadium with Janice and their father.

Abruptly, but fortunately, her family moved to Madison, Wisconsin, in December 1965 to start a new life. Susan flourished in her new state, becoming the confident extrovert she would be known as. She was very proud of paying her own way through the University of Wisconsin, eventually earning a graduate degree in Educational Psychology. More importantly, she met a friend on a bus to class, who would eventually introduce her to her husband.

Susan's life changed completely in July 1979 when her bus friend invited her to one of Scott's baseball games, a meeting that Susan would describe as the best thing that ever happened to her. Scott drove her home that night, and the two became so inseparable that there was no need for a formal proposal. They simply found themselves engaged one day and eventually married in June 1983.

Susan and Scott were complete opposites in many ways but shared a love of making others laugh. Their house was filled with constant laughter, a quality passed down to their sons and grandchildren. Susan dedicated herself to her family. One of her passions was spending countless hours researching every last TripAdvisor review to plan the perfect family trip. The trips were always perfect, not because of her tedious research, but because she was there. Her presence and personality helped her family create lasting memories of shared laughter and fun.

Susan was a lifelong educator with a passion for gifted education. She spent over 30 years teaching in school districts in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Illinois and Virginia. Whereas some teachers focus on the content of their lesson plans, Susan's true talent was getting children excited to learn and be curious about the world around them-another trait passed on to her sons.

However, the happy life they built did not come without obstacles. In 2018, Susan was diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer and underwent treatments that matched its aggressiveness. She overcame it and went into remission, then proceeded to maximize the value of the next seven years by spending time with family, friends, and traveling. Despite the post-cancer health challenges, Susan always described this period, especially after the grandkids were born, as the happiest of her life.

"One of a kind" was used to describe her by many recently, but it doesn't do justice to capturing the essence of Susan or what it was like to be in her presence. She had a deep love for people and could light up any room she entered with her smile, immediately filling it with rambling stories, laughter, the latest gossip, and boundless love. She often said she wanted to be 'where the action is,' and she always was. Her magnetic personality drew people in wherever she went, and her ability to forge instant connections often blossomed into lifelong friendships. To know her was to understand true generosity. Susan had a way of spoiling those in her orbit with treats, sometimes spending 45 minutes to pick out the perfect Italian cookies-and her thoughtfulness humbled all other gift-giving in comparison.

Susan was a bright light shining on those around her, and her passing is a major loss for those who loved her. Our family is filled with deep sadness, especially knowing her time with her grandchildren has been cut so short. Still, we are also filled with gratitude for the everlasting gift of her life and the positive way she affected everyone around her.

A service for Susan is scheduled at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, May 16, 2025 at St. John Neumann Catholic Church, 11900 Lawyers Road, Reston, Virginia to be followed by a lunch reception at The Lake House, 11450 Baron Cameron Ave., Reston, Virginia. In lieu of flowers, the Barrett family requests contributions in Susan's memory can be made to:

Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center: https://lombardi.georgetown.edu/giving/

Inova Peterson Life with Cancer: https://www.lifewithcancer.org/get-involved/ways-to-donate/

Leukemia & Lymphoma Society: https://www.lls.org/ways-to-give