Susan Rose Forson Brinkley

Susan Rose Forson Brinkley, 76, passed away peacefully in Tampa, Florida, on January 25, 2026. She was born on March 19, 1949, in Kansas City, Missouri. Susan is survived by her daughter, Brenda Loggins Hunter, son in law David Hunter, and granddaughter Elle Hunter, all of Tampa; and by her brother, William H. Forson, Jr., of Ellijay, Georgia. She is preceded in death by her parents, William H. Forson and Helen C. Forson, and by her brother Robert Forson of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. She is also survived by her extended family member, Eva Illnerova of Prague, Czech Republic.

Susan earned her BA and Master’s degrees in Sociology from the University of Memphis, followed by a PhD in Criminal Justice from Sam Houston State University. She served as an Associate Professor of Criminology at the University of Tampa from 1990 until her retirement in 2017. Teaching was one of her greatest joys, and she especially loved courses in ethics, correctional law, the death penalty, and travel abroad studies. Susan helped establish the travel abroad program for Criminology students at UT, creating experiences that were both educational and unforgettable. Over the years, her students observed proceedings at the International Criminal Court in The Hague, including war crimes cases, and visited concentration camps and prisons across the European Union. Her dedication to expanding her students’ worldviews was one of the hallmarks of her career. A devoted reader, animal lover, and world traveler, Susan cherished time with her family and her beloved cats. In her later years, she especially enjoyed traveling with her older brother, Bill. She will be deeply missed by all who knew her, and most profoundly by her daughter, who thought the world of her.

The family extends heartfelt gratitude to those who cared for Susan over the past two years, offering her kindness, companionship, and dignity. A special thank you goes to Crystal, who cared for her with exceptional compassion during the last two months of her life.

In lieu of flowers, Susan would have wished for donations to be made to your local animal shelter. Gifts in her memory may also be made online to the Dementia Society of America at www.dementiasociety.org/donate