Susan Parkhurst

Susan Smith Parkhurst passed away on February 11, 2022, in Denver, CO.  During her last few weeks, she received many visits from family and friends, and ate as much ice cream as she wanted.

Susan was born on April 30, 1938, in Pelham, NY to Clarence and Florence Smith.  After graduating from Pelham High School, she attended Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley, MA and graduated in 1959 with a degree in biology.  She treasured the lifelong friends she made at college, meeting up with them as often as possible and she was active for many years in the Mount Holyoke Alumnae Association.

Susan’s first job after college was at the Sloan Kettering Institute in NYC in a cancer research lab.  When offered the opportunity to travel to Kenya to work in an affiliate lab for one year, she quickly volunteered to go, even though all she knew about Kenya was that it was located in Africa. When she went home that evening, she asked her mother for an atlas so she could figure out where she'd just agreed to go.  She thoroughly enjoyed her time in Kenya and traveled around Africa and Europe before returning to Pelham, NY with only a few dollars left in her pocket.

Susan married Michael Edward Parkhurst on a snowy day in 1965 in Pelham, NY, going on to have three children, Cameron, Alex, and Amanda.  In 1980 the family moved from Maplewood, NJ to Denver, CO.  She worked at an investment firm for 15+ years, was active in the choir and other activities at Montview Boulevard Presbyterian Church, traveled to South Africa twice and Brazil once after she retired, spent many summers at Canada Lake in upstate NY, and enjoyed taking the "scenic route" on car trips.  She hosted many a holiday potluck meal at her house, carrying on her mother's tradition of inviting anyone to the meal who needed a place to go.

Susan loved being a grandmother, baking with the grandkids, attending their school/extra-curricular activities, and taking pride in watching them grow.  In 2018 Susan moved into Springbrooke Assisted Living Facility, where she spent time chatting with the residents and employees, attending watercolor classes, bingo, and musical performances, and watching endless NCIS reruns.  Her enthusiasm for dressing up in colorful outfits and wearing chunky jewelry never left her.

Susan was predeceased by her ex-husband, Michael, and brother, Hub.  She is survived by her children, Cameron (Sharon), Alex (Lisanna), Amanda (Becker), cousin Marjorie Laxier, sister-in-law Linda Smith, five grandchildren, Sam (Barbara), Emma, Natalie, Katie, and Evan, and several nieces and nephews.

The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations be sent to Colorado Symphony Orchestra, Montview Boulevard Presbyterian Church, Mount Holyoke College, Canada Lake Conservation Association, or a charity of your choosing.  There will be a memorial service on Saturday, June 18, 2022 at 2 PM at Montview Presbyterian Church located at 1980 Dahlia Street in Denver, followed by a reception.