Susan R. Gunas

Susan R. Gunas, 83, beloved wife of David L. Gunas, Sr., of Colchester, CT, formally of Hebron, CT, passed away peacefully on November 17, 2025, at home with her loving family by her side. Susan was born on March 4, 1942, in Marlboro, MA, daughter of the late Henry C. Ricker and Thelma Mae (Lyon) Ricker.
Susan was born into a deeply musical, harmonizing family. In 1958, she joined her older sister, Trudy Holden McNamee, singing with the Marlboro Chapter Sweet Adelines in Massachusetts. Her brother, Henry Ricker, won multiple international gold medals over the years with his chorus, the Alexandria Harmonizers of Virginia.
In 1962, Susan married David L. Gunas and moved to Manchester, CT, where she joyfully sang for Vincent Zito and the Mountain Laurel Chorus. She later joined SONE in Bloomfield, CT, and in 1990, her daughter Heidi Adam joined her as well. Susan sang in several championship quartets over the years, even competing at Carnegie Hall in New York.
In 1999, she became a founding member of Millennium Magic Chorus, where she earned two international gold medals and one international silver medal. With her dual chorus, Farmington Valley Chorus of Simsbury, CT, she also earned an international bronze medal. A special highlight of her singing career was performing in the quartet Reminisce with Heidi Adam, Lorraine Rochefort, and Patricia Graber-ten wonderful years together, filled with music, friendship, and memories.
Through her 67 years as a Sweet Adeline, Susan did it all. She had an extraordinary ear for harmony, sang all four parts over the decades, and helped build Millennium Magic from its earliest days. What a life-and what a legacy.
While raising their four children on the family farm, in Hebron, CT Susan ran the Hebron Little League Snack Shack and supported every musical endeavor her children pursued. Even after suffering a stroke eight years ago that left her paralyzed, she remained active and determined. She folded towels at PerSNIPity, the family hair salon, knitted beautiful scarves one-handed on a loom, and created stunning diamond paintings that she loved gifting to others. Anything involving family-Susan was always at the center of it.
Susan is survived by her husband, David, of 63 years of marriage; her four children and their spouses: Lisa Yopp and her husband Crandall of Hebron, Heidi Adam and her husband Joseph of Glastonbury, CT David Gunas Jr. of Hebron, CT and Jason Gunas of Tennessee; her brother, Henry C. Ricker Jr. of Virginia; her grandchildren Suzi, Rob, CJ, Tom, Taylor, David, Raegan, Jada, Cicelea, Brittany, Jason, and Joshua; and her great-grandchildren Lily, Pierce, Paxton, Grayson, Scarlett, Wyatt, Sawyer (arriving soon), Franco, Julian, Cristian, and Aria; as well as many cousins, nieces, nephews, and dear friends.
In addition to her parents, she was predeceased by her sister, Gertrude Holden McNamee.
A celebration of Susan's life will be held at a later date.