Suzanne was born in Birmingham, Alabama to Loudora and Lloyd Woodard. She attended Ramsay High School, Class of 1962 (having skipped 2 grades in elementary school) and went on to receive her BS in Biology from Samford University. She worked at the UAB Medical Center’s Clinical Research Lab, where she met her future husband Raymond Speer. Later, she pursued post-graduate studies in Washington DC, was employed at Einstein Medical Center in Philadelphia and then at Deborah Hospital in New Jersey. Suzanne was raised Baptist and a member of the Southside Baptist Church in Birmingham. In New Jersey she became an active member of the First Presbyterian Church of Hightstown and the Junior Friday Club of Hightstown.
She was a real estate agent for many years, initially with Van Hise Agency Real Estate and ultimately with Fox & Roach of Princeton. She loved travel adventures, from camping in Vermont, skiing in New Hampshire, fishing in Ocean City, rafting down the rivers of Dinosaur National Park, snorkeling in the Galapagos, trekking through Bangkok and Chaing Mai, to a leisurely walk down the trails of Washington’s Crossing State Park under the autumn leaves. Suzanne then moved to Lawrenceville where she lived with her beloved fiance John Tilton and his mother Mary Tilton. They enjoyed spending summer days at Suzanne’s house on Long Beach Island, where she could be found fishing, cooking, or reading a good beach book. In 2012, they would all move to the retirement community of Leisure Village in Manchester, where she spent the remainder of her days.
Suzanne is survived by two sisters, Louisa Strand (Ben) of Dandridge, TN, and Mary Short of Birmingham AL; her three children, Karen Hennegan (John) of Brooklyn, NY, Christopher Speer of Sayreville, NJ and Aimee Sanchez (Astro) of Hutto, TX; and her five grand-children, August Hennegan, Elsie Hennegan, Hailey Speer, Mark Speer, and Xavier Sanchez.
She was a hard-working, loving, and wonderful mother who welcomed everyone into her home with open arms and usually a basket of fresh biscuits or apple pie. For anyone and everyone who knew Suzanne, she was open, accepting, friendly, loving, helpful, interested, intelligent, and a fierce Wheel of Fortune or Jeopardy competitor. An exceptional mother, caring friend whenever needed, a happy companion at all times and full of humor and insight. She touched each life that was blessed with her presence.
Her life will be celebrated in late June with a Memorial service in Hightstown, details to be confirmed and can be viewed at https://www.facebook.com/suzanne.speer.7