SUSAN WEBSTER

Susan Marie Webster Jan. 9, 1946 - Aug. 31, 2012 Resident of Pleasant Hill Susan passed away on Friday, August 31, in Missoula MT. Susan, and her husband Jim, had traveled to Montana to visit their daughter, Nancy and her husband, Scott. Nancy and Scott had recently moved to Victor, MT. just south of Missoula. Susan had been courageously battling lung cancer for two years and suffered two, unexpected, serious strokes after arriving in Montana. Susan is survived by her husband of 45 years, James, daughter, Nancy Stephenson, mother, Jean Leavitt, brother, Douglas Leavitt, nieces, Susan Barnett and Arcata Leavitt and many dear friends. Susan's younger brother, Thomas and father, John, pre-deceased her. Susan was born in San Francisco but grew up in the small logging towns of Korbel and Blue Lake in Humboldt County, Calif. She graduated from Arcata High School, attended Humboldt State College and enjoyed membership in the Delta Zeta sorority. Jim and Susan fell in love in college and were married on September 16, 1967. They moved to Pleasant Hill where Susan was awarded a Master's of Business Administration degree from St. Mary's College and excelled at an exceptional career with CitiBank. Jim had a life-long passion for outdoor adventure and Susan was an ideal partner. Susan also became passionate and was not only a willing participant but was not satisfied to just tag along. Jim was not shy to acknowledge that Susan could out-walk him on back-packing trips, had a more reliable Eskimo roll when whitewater kayaking, operated their whitewater jet sled with confidence, was a smoother private pilot, a more sensible captain of their off-shore salmon fishing boat and would gladly hook up and tow as much raft equipment as could be loaded on a twelve foot trailer to Fall fly-fishing destinations in British Columbia, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado and New Mexico. Fellow fly fishermen who became aware of Susan's commitment to the sport had been known to ask Jim, more than once, "Does your wife have a sister?" Susan and Jim enjoyed all styles of sport fishing and had angling adventures from Alaska to Baja. Susan's battle with lung cancer can only be admired as inspirational, courageous, and always positive. Her husband, Jim and daughter, Nancy considered their lives truly blessed by Susan's presence. Susan was a joy for everyone who knew her and she bravely passed on ahead with "all flags flying". A celebration of Susan's life is being planned for close friends and family at the family home in Pleasant Hill on Saturday, Sept. 29 at 2:00 PM. Donations in Susan's memory can be made to the Bay Area Crisis Nursery, 1506 Mendocino Dr., Concord, or the American Cancer Society.