Suse Weissman

Suse Weissman passed away in Canton, MA on Thursday, August 29th, 2024. She was predeceased in 2009 by Aaron, her husband of 51 years.
Suse was born Suse Kattler in Karlsruhe, Germany in 1927. She and her mother Rosa escaped Nazi Germany in 1938, with her father Usher Kattler joining them in New York City the following year. Suse attended public schools in New York, enrolled in Hunter College, and received a B.A. degree in Sociology. She married Aaron Weissman in 1948, becoming a mother in 1951 to Daniel, then to Terry in 1952, and to David in 1957.
While raising her children in the Bronx, Suse volunteered at the local library and enrolled in the Library Science program at Columbia University, receiving an MLS degree. After graduation, Suse began working at public libraries in New York City, with a specialty in children's books. Her excitement about working in libraries inspired Aaron to follow in her footsteps, and in 1967 they both found positions in the libraries of Brunswick, Maine. Suse became the first credentialed librarian and the Director at Curtis Memorial Library, and Aaron was hired as Head of Circulation at Bowdoin College.
At the Curtis Library, Suse outlined a plan to renovate and expand the old building, and after a multi-year effort, a new wing was opened in 1973. In the 20 years that she worked at the library, the number of books checked out and the number of cardholders doubled. Under Suse's direction, the library began screening films, and began lending out movies to its patrons in the Brunswick area.
In 1987, Suse retired from the library, traveling the world with Aaron, hiking in national parks, backpacking in New England, and visiting family in Israel, Denmark, and New Zealand. For years they were avid supporters of the Yiddish Book Center, and drove hundreds of miles to visit art museums in New York and New England.
When Aaron's health began deteriorating, Suse became his sole caregiver, but found time to take courses at Bowdoin College, to tend her garden, to go on long walks, and to visit with friends in Brunswick and with former co-workers from the Curtis Library. After Aaron passed in 2009, Suse continued all of those activities, but when her own health was failing, she moved to Orchard Cove Senior Living in Massachusetts, to be closer to her daughter and her family. At Orchard Cove she found great caregivers, met new friends, checked out books from the library, and attended weekly concerts. She especially enjoyed phone calls from her son in Israel and visits from her children and grandchildren in the US and, best of all, she loved being entertained by her little great-grandson, Oz.
Suse is survived by her children Daniel, Terry, and David, along with numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren in the US and Israel. She will be greatly missed.
A graveside service for Suse was held on Sunday, September 1st, 2024 at Mt Sinai Cemetery, Hicks Street, Portland, ME at 2 pm.