Susan A. Handverger

Daughter of the late Dorothy (Lippman) and Benjamin Fine. Loving wife of Richard A. Handverger of 51 years. Beloved mother of Joshua Handverger of Medway, and Leah Ciano and her husband Chris of Pembroke. Cherished grandmother of Sam and Leo.

Susan had a rich and fulfilling professional career as a special education teacher. She was unique in that she remained in that job from college graduation through retirement and after retirement specialized in academic testing and tutoring otherwise difficult students. She had the good fortune to be the niece of Helen Fine, author of many children’s Hebrew school texts. This led to her association with Temple Israel in Boston and to her friendship with Rabbi Roland Gittlesohn who was at that time a celebrity among civil rights and antiwar activists. Academically she was quite bright, graduating from Girl’s Latin School in Codman square, making the daily trek from Brighton on the MTA.

She had a major role at Temple Beth Torah, developing catering for onegs and b’nai mitzvahs, establishing the book group, serving on the board for many years. She loved classical music, and was the proud occupant of seat H13 at Symphony Hall for 20 years of odd Saturdays. During that time, while her husband slept, she got to know most of the people in the surrounding seats in astounding detail. One special August weekend of each year was spent at Tanglewood at the same B&B every year.

Her husband had a unique job which allowed him to travel to Europe once or twice a month in support of major newspaper computer systems. Every year she would get a free ride to attend a conference at a European city of her choosing. She then accompanied Richard on a number of cruises to destinations in the Bahamas, Alaska, Mexico, and Europe. Her particular talent was her ability to remember the names of people she had met in excruciating detail.

She was a skilled Scrabble player and played an aggressive game of Mah Jong.

But, these details aside, she encountered serious medical adversity throughout her life. Her first pregnancy ended in a miscarriage. Her second child died of a sudden pneumonia at nine months. She needed to have stents placed in her cardiac arteries. She had a couple of TIA’s and then the diabetic retinopathy took hold, leaving her almost blind. She soldiered through all of this bravely and with steadfast courage as the diabetes took toe after toe and finally a foot. She approached her final illness with bravado. Her spirit, enthusiasm, and vivacity will be sorely missed.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend a Graveside Service on Monday, October 23, 2023 at 10:45 AM at Sharon Memorial Park, 40 Dedham Street, Sharon, MA.

Contributions in Susan’s memory can be made to the American Diabetes Association at www.diabetes.org or The Trevor Project at www.thetrevorproject.org