Suzanna Nicolina vanLeeuwen, beloved mother, daughter, sister, and friend, passed away on March 31, 2019. She was 69, though in her heart and on her birthdays she was eternally 29, and so very loved by those who knew her for her youthful attitude and mischievous sense of fun.
A resident of Torrington, CT, Suzanna was born September 22,1949 in Jakarta, Indonesia. Suzanna had a flair for style and an eye for beauty, and created it in a rich, colorful fashion wherever she lived, surrounding herself with lush, green plants and an artfully decorated home filled with handwritten cards and photos of loved ones. She had a passion for gardening, shopping, learning about the cosmos, and writing emails to loved ones near and far. She also loved the Muppets, spaghetti westerns, and an eclectic mix of music that fit her personality so perfectly - a mix of ABBA, Fleetwood Mac, Moody Blues, ZZ Top, and B.B. King, among so many others.
Suzanna experienced many challenges in her life and often turned to her friends and family for support, and in turn was a fiercely loyal woman filled with a deep appreciation and reverence for the people she chose as her nearest and dearest. If you upset someone Suzanna loved, you could count on being on her bad list (which is surely is still in effect to this day). It was one of the things her family and friends loved about her - Suzanna felt with all of her heart, and made sure you always knew where you stood. They will miss her dearly, and though their hearts ache now, they are comforted by their happy memories of the funny stories Suzanna would tell, her zest for the latest gossip, her penchant for her pets, and above all, her absolute adoration of her two children, Robert and Jennifer, who she referred to as her “little bears.” They both will miss their mama bear so very much.
Suzanna is preceded in death by her father, Peter vanLeeuwen; and survived by her mother, Nicolina vanLeeuwen of Danbury, her son Robert vanLeeuwen of San Mateo (Sunny vanLeeuwen) and daughter Jennifer Hoeg of Baltimore; her sisters Cornelia Hunt (Douglas Hunt) of New Preston Marble Dale and Magdalena Vaichus (Andrew Vaichus) of Watertown, her brother, Johannes vanLeeuwen (Susan vanLeeuwen) of Danbury; two beloved grandchildren, Keanna vanLeeuwen and Arianna vanLeeuwen of San Mateo; her niece Melissa Schindelar (John Schindelar) of Middlebury; nephew Michael Shail of Manchester; great-niece Madison Klemenz of Middlebury. She leaves behind her loving friend James Gregory Wiker of Torrington, and her beloved little dog Lukie.
A celebration of Suzanna's life will be held at the Green Funeral Home in Danbury, CT on Sunday, April 7 from 10:30 am until 1:30 pm and all who loved her are welcome to attend. The family thanks all who have asked to contribute to her family during this difficult time and asks that in lieu of flowers, donations in Suzanna’s name to the animal shelter where she adopted Lukie from, The Little Guild in Cornwall, Connecticut, would be very much appreciated.
