Susan Nancy Rodde

Susan Nancy Rodde, a vibrant advocate, fierce defender of disability rights, and beloved friend, passed away quietly at age 70. Born with cerebral palsy, Susan turned challenges into triumphs, inspiring everyone around her with her independence, sharp wit, and unyielding sense of justice.

Susan’s journey began at Washington Blvd. School, continuing through homeschooling during her health battles, Widney High School, and later, El Camino College, where she pursued communication and social work. Her drive for learning and advocacy shaped her remarkable life.

As a young girl, Susan was at the heart of every escapade with her sister Toni and their gang of friends, Jackie, Gigi, and Laurie. Whether playing third base during cul-de-sac softball games or taking a tumble from her wheelchair with a laugh, Susan met life head-on, always in the thick of the action. Susie-Q, or Q-Ball as she was known to her family along with her sister Toni (Baloney) got into a lot of hot water together. Her mischievous spirit and sharp tongue kept everyone on their toes.

Throughout her life, Susan championed disability rights, serving as an intern, an advisor, and later on advisory boards for government nonprofit organizations. Her efforts earned her numerous awards, as well as admiration from her peers. She also graced beauty pageants with her charm and tenacity, proving that barriers were meant to be broken.

A lover of animals, Susan shared a special bond with her sister Toni’s dog, Icky, and her own beloved companions, Rodde the Shar Pei and Ivy, her loyal service dog.

Susan’s eldest niece Monique Jenson sums it up for all of us, “ Q ball was the single most influential human in my lifetime. I learned, empathy, sympathy, tolerance, compassion, and the ability to imagine that life was full of possibilities from her whatever the obstacles. Susie was one of the most remarkable people imaginable and in the face of great adversity she never complained or griped about anything. Susie could have crumbled but she chose to soar and pay it forward to those who needed a leg up. The world was most definitely a better place with her in it and she will be greatly missed. Fly in peace with the angles, my dear auntie.”

Susan is survived by her sisters, Madeleine Landry and Antoinette Sol, her nieces Monique Jensen and Lucette Landry, great niece and nephew Auberi and Austen, loving cousins LA Bienvenue, Nancy Bertin Gibbs, Robert Rodde, and Bruce Bertin, and countless friends and admirers who will forever cherish her humor, warmth, and fearless spirit. Her legacy as a trailblazer and advocate lives on, reminding us all of the power of courage and compassion. Susie hoped to leave an impression on all the lives she touched and left an impact through her advocacy work and, as she said, “My courage, determination, and my big mouth.” When you hear the song “I can See Clearly Now” and “Wind Beneath my Wing” she would like you to think of her. She wanted you to remember her with love and lots of laughter.

As her family and friends remember her and celebrate Susie’s extraordinary life in her honor, contributions can be made to

Disability Rights California https://www.disabilityrightsca.org/drc-donation

Or

Rancho Los Amigos Hospital in Downy (Toll-Free: (877) RANCHO-1 or (877) 726-2461).