Susan Down

Susan (Chitty) Down — loving daughter, sister, wife, mother, and grandmother — was called home by our Heavenly Father on September 20, 2025, at the age of 82, in Sarasota, Florida after enduring Alzheimer’s disease. Susan was born in Plymouth, Devon, England, on August 7, 1943, where she grew up with her loving parents, Doreen Betty Snell and Alexander Charles Chitty, and her two beloved sisters, Christine and Janet. Susan had fond memories of growing up in Devon including seaside holidays in Whitsands, Shetland pony rides, classes at Plympton Grammar School, and playing with her dearly loved cat, Panda.

In 1959, Susan attended Secretarial School at Plymouth Tech. Here, at the age of 16, she met the love of her life and future husband, Peter Ernest Down, who was a student in Physics and Chemistry. Peter and Susan were married in 1963 in Plymouth, England which marked the beginning of their long happy and loving marriage, always by one another’s side, devoted to and cherished by one another througout their lives. After starting married life in London, Susan and Peter had two daughters, Caroline Jane Down and Louise Rebecca Down. The young family lived in Marlow-on-Thames in Buckinghamshire, England, before emigrating to America in 1976. Susan was steadfast in her support and commitment to Peter’s engineering career when they took this adventure to America — at first planned for only two years — but which became a new life for the family in New Jersey and, soon after, north of Boston in Massachusetts before finally settling in Florida. During these years, Susan and Peter treasured their annual trips home to Devon to stay closely tied to their parents and extended family.

Susan was an efficient secretary specializing in shorthand and was also a wonderful, nurturing homemaker for their family. She was an attentive mother to her two girls, blossoming into a humorous, loving and constant best friend to each in adulthood. After the arrival of her two granddaughters, Annabel Eva Lyons and Rosalie Elizabeth Lyons, Susan was a devoted, affectionate, and proud grandmother, doting on their accomplishments with encouragement at every step. Cherished memories were made during those years while summering in Connecticut and along the New Hampshire and Maine coastline. Throughout her life, Susan delighted in writing stories and was talented in sketching drawings. Along with those passions, Susan spent her retired years researching her family genealogy and inspiring her grandaughters to explore and honor their English heritage.

Susan’s family will always remember her by her kindness, selfless prioritization of others, sunny and optimistic disposition, which lit up every room with a warm smile. Susan will be loved eternally by her family, as well as countless others whose lives she touched as a friend.

Susan’s Funeral Service will be celebrated at 10am on Tuesday, September 30th, 2025 at the Faith Presbyterian Church, 1201 North Beneva Road in Sarasota with a graveside service to follow at Robert Toale and Sons Funeral Home at Palms Memorial Park, 170 Honore Avenue, Sarasota.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Cure Alzheimer’s Fund (www.curealz.org).