Susan Kay Bristow

A much-loved wife, mother, grandmother, and great grandmother, Susan Kay Bristow, 79, of Lyons, Colorado, passed away peacefully at her home in the early morning of March 7, 2025 with her family present. She had bravely confronted and fought breast cancer, only to be defeated by dementia. She was born June 13, 1945 in Logansport, Indiana, and resided in Longmont and Lyons, Colorado for the past 54 years. Her family was from the Lake of the Woods region of Minnesota, and being farmers, the winters of her growing up years were spent in Lakeland, Florida. She graduated from Spearfish High School in Spearfish, South Dakota in 1962 and received a teaching degree from Black Hills State University in 1965. Susan went on to obtain her Master of Library Science from the University of Denver in 1985.

While completing an internship at the Native American Rights Fund’s National Indian Law Library in 1985, she met the love of her life, law clerk Ed Bristow. They were married three years later and had 37 wonderful years together.

Susan worked as both a reference librarian and a cataloger at the National Indian Law Library, the University of Colorado Norlin Library, and the Longmont Public Library, where she worked until her retirement in 2010. She loved family, children, flowers, gardening, and most of all helping others. She was loving, generous, and very intelligent. She has many friends who remember her for these and many other traits.

She is survived by her husband, Ed Bristow of Lyons; son Michael Donner and wife Kirsten of Mead; grandchildren Andrea Ross, Loren Ross, Brynn Stroope and husband Cody, Nayla Donner, Ian Donner; great grandchildren Adam, Amyra, Kaysen, Haley, Reign, Aurora, Asher, Cante Wasaka Win, and Aziel; sister-in-law Mari Beth Bergan; nieces Sarah Dore and husband Rob, Katie Toale, and Kelsey Beck and husband Jeremy; sister-in-law Darcy Hickson and husband Alan; and nephews Alan Hickson Jr. and Adam Hickson. She was preceded in death by her parents, Dale and Wilma Bergan; brother Steve Bergan; son Richard Ross; grandsons Taylor Peters and Robert Thomas Ross.

There will not be a memorial service. At Susan’s request, her ashes will be spread at several very special spots representing high points in her life.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.HoweMortuary.com with the Bristow family.