Susan Dana "Suzee" Leone

1945 - 2021

LEONE, Susan "Suzee" Dana, 76, of Midlothian, Virginia, passed away peacefully on Friday, April 24, 2021. Suzee was a beloved wife, mother, grandmother and sister to her family and a dear friend to all who knew her. Suzee was preceded in death by her parents, Mark and Erna Dana of Shell Rock, Iowa; and her half-brother, David Dana of Atlanta, Georgia. She is survived by her husband of 56 years, Philip Andrew Leone; her son, Andrew Mark Leone and his wife, Donna, of Gainesville, Virginia; her son, Philip Anthony Leone and his wife, Carrie, of Richmond, Virginia; and three beloved grandchildren, Joey, Jillian and Betsy. Suzee also leaves behind her brother, Steve Dana and his wife, Susan, of Tallahassee, Florida; her nephews, Mark Dana of Atlanta, Georgia and Matt Dana of Tallahassee, Florida; and her half-sister, Karla Hunt of Waterloo, Iowa.

Suzee was born on February 6, 1945, in Waterloo, Iowa. She was the Valedictorian of the class of 1963 at Waverly-Shell Rock High School in Waverly, Iowa. She went on to earn a bachelor's degree in Special Education from the University of Northern Iowa. Recognizing her passion for helping others, Suzee went on to earn a master's in Counseling and Guidance at Virginia Commonwealth University. A lifelong scholar, she obtained a Doctorate in Education, for Counselor Education, from the University of Virginia in 1985.

In 1982, Suzee and two of her friends started one of the first all-female licensed professional counselor practices, Professional Counseling Associates. In 1994, Suzee left private practice to become a professor at the VCU School of Education, where she remained until retirement. For over 40 years, she was an active member in the Virginia Counselors Association, where she took on many roles, including president. Throughout her career, Suzee contributed to the counseling profession at the local, state and national levels, and was recognized for influencing graduate curriculum in counseling, policy and practices related to state and national licensure of professional counselors. She was an educator, mentor, influencer, and will be remembered for her vision and generosity.

As a respected professional in her field and because of her interest in state politics, Suzee helped to successfully lobby the Virginia General Assembly in the mid-'70s to pass legislation that mandated counseling licensure and school counselors in elementary schools.

Suzee's involvement in education spanned from elementary special education, to elementary school counselor, to school counselor educator, and concluded with volunteering as a mentor to elementary English learners. Her passion for educating others went full circle and she had a profound influence on everyone she met.

While Suzee was admired by many for her professional accomplishments, her true success was the love she gave to her family. She enjoyed hosting family gatherings at her homes in Midlothian and Duck, North Carolina. She loved the beach and enjoyed the time she spent there with her grandchildren. In her spare time, you could find Suzee journaling, meditating, writing letters to loved ones, painting, traveling, collaborating with colleagues, having lunch with her girlfriends, cheering on the Hokies football team and the VCU men's basketball team and, most importantly, enjoying the company of her true love and best friend, Phil.

A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date. In honor of Suzee, donations may be made to the Children's Hospital Foundation (for the Children's Hospital of Richmond at VCU).