Susan Atwood

1955 - 2025

Beloved sister, aunt, and friend Susan Maureen Atwood, 70, of Richmond died peacefully on October 26, 2025 after a long battle with cancer. Susan was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, raised in Springfield, Virginia, but lived most of her life in Richmond, Virginia.

She earned a bachelor's degree in government from the University of Virginia, and a master's in rehabilitation counseling from Virginia Commonwealth University.

Susan enjoyed a distinguished 25-year career with Markel Corp. She started in IT support where she was known for making highly technical information easy for users to understand. She was promoted many times and retired as a Business Services Analyst responsible for evaluating, ordering, and installing vendor software.

At home, Susan found comfort in her much-loved cats, most recently Emmy, Daisy and Janalee. Devoted lap companions and occasional keyboard interlopers, they brought her no end of joy. She spread that love into her community by spending many of her retirement years volunteering at the Richmond Animal League.

Susan was a lifelong beach goer, but no seaside area captured her imagination quite like the Florida Keys, a destination to which she returned year after year. A gifted baker, she often hosted holiday cookie exchanges, but was best known for her unrivaled carrot cakes.

Susan was an avid jigsaw puzzler, and also cherished daily walks in her wooded neighborhood or along the James River. Her greatest pleasure, though, was spending time with the people she cared about. We will remember her as a strong, independent woman who was a great listener, refreshingly direct, and a big-hearted, fiercely loyal sister and friend.

Susan is survived by siblings Mike (Diane), Tom (Mary Elizabeth), Bob, Mary Pat (Don), John (Tracey), nine nieces and nephews, and a community of dear friends.

A service in her honor will be held at 1 p.m. on Saturday November 15, 2025 at Woody Funeral Home Huguenot Chapel, 1020 Huguenot Road, Midlothian, VA. A reception will follow at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that memorial donations be made to the Richmond Animal League (www.ral.org/donate). Online condolences and fond memories may be shared at: https://www.dignitymemorial.com/funeral-homes/virginia/midlothian/woody-funeral-home-huguenot-chapel/4712.