Susan Weiss Frenzel

She was 70 years old, born on August 13, 1956 in Chicago, IL.

Susan graduated from New Trier High School in 1974, and later earned a Bachelor’s Degree from Lake Forest College and a Masters in Documentary Film from Columbia College in Chicago.

Susan’s career almost always involved the arts, either as a studio photographer, writing copy for filmstrips, or as a bookseller. When she retired from Barnes and Noble, she began writing, and completed many short stories and autobiographical novels – one of her favorites was a funny, magical, and bittersweet story about a summer with her parents and siblings at their favorite place on earth, the family cottage in northern Wisconsin.

Susan was a passionate animal person her whole life, and over the decades always had a beloved dog at her side, including Frannie, Roscoe, Keaton and Tess. She was passionate about Democratic politics, and also co-started a fun and scholarly movie club with wonderful friends that ran for 13 years until her passing. Susan started her own popular book club in North Carolina, which was a monthly highlight for her and her friends. She was a very talented painter, and she also loved baseball, following the Cubs and attending many games at different minor league ballparks in the Clayton area.

Susan was kind, intelligent, passionate, thoughtful, funny, and a great listener – she loved meeting and talking to people, all of whom gravitated towards her warm spirit. She would remember details you shared with her, and even months later would ask you about those details. She loved and cared about her family and friends very, very much – her brother Jay said that Susan had a weak heart because she gave a piece of it to every person she ever met. Her sister Laurie said that Susan had a first class express ticket right up to Heaven.

Susan is preceded in death by her parents, John and Elizabeth Weiss.

She is survived by her husband Steven, her brother Jay and his wife Mary, and her sister Laurie and her husband Rich, and many in-laws and nephews and nieces, all of whom she loved very much.

There will be two celebrations of life for Susan – one in Chicago in January, and one in North Carolina in the spring.

If you wish to make a donation in Susan’s honor, please consider one of the following charities or any similar one:

ASPCA

World Wildlife Fund

The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research