Susan G. Krinsky

Susan G. Krinsky (1934-2025)

Susan Gans Krinsky, Ed.D., 91, of Brookline, MA, died peacefully on September 11, 2025 after living with Alzheimer's disease for several years.

Susan was born in Rye, NY to Anna Alpert Gans and Maurice Gans, who raised their only child amidst a sea of aunts, uncles, and cousins in and around New York City. When her father's employer opened an outpost in Miami, FL, he moved south; mother and daughter followed a year later. Susan attended Miami Beach High School and then, at the age of 18, returned north for good, first to Poughkeepsie, NY where she studied psychology at Vassar College, and then to Cambridge, MA to attend Harvard where she earned a doctoral degree.

It was in Cambridge that Susan met the love of her life, Norman Krinsky, who was starting a career in academia. Together, they raised their children Lisa and Adam and made a home in Brookline for 50 years.

Susan cared deeply for her family, from her parents to her husband, her children and grandchildren, and her cousins and their families, especially those in need. She thoroughly enjoyed her grandchildren, Colin, Jenna, and Norah. No one read favorite books aloud with more dramatic flair than Grandma. Later in life, she became a New England Patriots fan, and she remained a surprisingly good ping pong player into her 80s.

Susan was passionate about her work as a clinical psychologist, helping people explore their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors to understand and manage their problems. She served on the boards of the Brookline Mental Health Center and the Northeast Society for Group Psychotherapy.

Susan was a lifelong learner. She and Norman helped launch a monthly bible study group with friends that met for 25 years. She enjoyed attending adult education classes, especially at Hebrew College and as part of Temple Israel's Life Long Learning Institute. She was active in her community, serving on the executive board of the Greater Boston Chapter of the American Jewish Committee and an advisory board for Jewish Community Housing for the Elderly (now known as 2Life Communities).

Throughout her life, Susan took seriously each individual's emotional health and sought to connect on an emotional level, whether as a therapist, a family member, or a friend. Living with Alzheimer's in her final years, Susan always maintained her warmth and graciousness.

Susan is preceded in death by her husband Norman Krinsky and is survived by her daughter Lisa Krinsky and son Adam Krinsky, her daughter-in-law Ranit Schmelzer, and grandchildren Colin Krinsky, Jenna Krinsky, and Norah Stone.

Burial will be private. Shiva will follow at the home of Lisa Krinsky, 7pm-9pm. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to 2Life Communities or the Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation.