Hard to believe that it's already three years since we lost her.  My heart still aches whenever I'm having a memory of Susan.  The youngest of the three cousins born the same season and year, and by far the brightest!

Susan was my therapist for about 4 years in the late 1990’s.  I moved from nyc and every so often sent holiday cards with pictures of my budding family. She always responded with such kindness, encouragement and generosity. In 2020 my holiday card was returned and this saddened me. I just came across an old yellow business card and got to do a proper google search and learned the sad news of her passing. Her work with me changed the trajectory of my life and she will always hold a special place in my psyche and heart. 

It's been a year since we lost Susan, and very few days go by without thinking about our loss.  Aside from the sadness, I think about how brilliant my cousin was.  The following would be embarrassing to her for me to reveal, but it is important for all to know that her IQ score was 161!  Whoever knew her should not be surprised to hear this.  RIP, my dear.

It is immensely gratifying to see how many people appreciated my Susan, our Susan, for who she was and what she accomplished.  Her passion was shopping but her joy was teaching.  She had classes from 15 to over 100 students.  This added up to many thousands over the years.. With this in mind, a fund has been established at Queens College entitled, "The Dr. Susan Fleischer Endowed Fund". It shall be used to provide an annual scholarship to 2 undergraduate or graduate students with an interest in psychology, achieving a minimum GPA of 3.0. Preference will be given to students who are  first generation and/or have been or currently housed within the foster care system.  This fund is being established with sufficient assets that it will last FOREVER.

Last picture is Susan with a kea.  Smartest birds in the world.  This one adored her.  She was unafraid and reached up to pet him and he nibbled her finger.  She was game for all sorts of adventures from spelunking, to feeding eels with a spoon, playing laser tag, descending into the glow worm caves and for wearing kea's on her head.

When we were planning to travel to NZ with Susan, I was worried about my Tante Susan having difficulty adjusting to my ADHD and rather annoying son.  I should not have been concerned.  Upon meeting each other they became instant friends and he spent most of the flight to Australia on Susan's lap, watching Mickey Mouse with her.    I remember her telling me that she thought she liked girls better until she met Benny.  As her niece I was only slightly insulted ;-)

In  New Zealand we were stuck in a small van all day every day and I told them to appear more like siblings who were on a cross country trip.  Susan and Jerry,

This is Susan at Hobbiton in NZ.  We had read that the hobbit holes were just empty and we were planning on skipping but as we drove by,  Susan insisted that we stop and then made us all go on her dime.  What a good thing she did.  Highlight of the trip.  

Susan was always a welcome guest at our family events and casual dinners
We shared a love of shopping and salt. At the family dinners we were often sat near each other, even though the family is very large because we could share the salt shakers 
Lucky me , I got to sit with Susan and Mark who were a fun, interesting and warm couple
As a partner to my cousin Mark , and as a friend she is very missed
May Susan Rest In Peace as she is a loving memory to those who knew her

Susan was our super cool, totally independent Manhattan woman aunt. She was always full of good humour, smart and game for anything, and seemed to me like almost a wholly different sort of being , from a more sophisticated and cultured place. Not that ever she put on airs or appeared to talk down to you - Susan  would never do anything like that. She just brought a naturally cosmopolitan air with her everywhere she went.

 I didn't see here as much as perhaps I would have liked, but all my memories of time spent with her are happy ones. I am so grateful to have known her - and her passing will always leave a void. 

I had the most amazing aunt. When I was a teenager I would take the Amtrak to Manhattan and spend an amazing weekend imposing upon her fabulous life. She had impeccable taste and was extremely smart, funny and fun and professionally accomplished. people used to say that I looked like her, which was incredibly flattering, because she was beautiful.   She had no filter, which I adored.  she bought me my first mini skirt, before they had hit my hometown. She fed me my first sushi.  She later became my son's favorite aunt. She was game for anything even when she was in her 70s.  She was the coolest aunt anyone has ever had and I will miss her terribly.

Susan, my dear cousin, was very special to me.  I was named after her mom, Esther, which was an honor for me. She was 8 yrs older than me so she called me her “baby” cousin because I was the youngest of the cousins. I looked forward to her visits as a child & young adult. As adults, she became my “friend” also. Though we lived far from eachother, our phone calls kept us close. Her passing was shocking and didn’t feel real. Unfortunately, the reality has settled in, been difficult because i think of her daily and want to call her.  Susan you will be missed. Rest in peace, with your mom now. Sympathies to Mark & Jerry.


Susan has always been a special part of my life. I remember from a very young age playing with Susan and Mark.  It was the same for my son Andrew, he and Susan had a special bond. He was always vying for her attention and got it. I will always remember the times we spent together laughing, eating and sharing stories.  Susan you will be greatly missed and you will always be a special part of our family.  

Susan was such an integral part of our family. We all knew that when Susan and Mark were coming over, laughs were going to be had. She had this special qualify of knowing what to say in order to make you feel like whatever it is you're doing, it was the right thing to do. And her attention to the conversations made it seem like she was always so interested in what you had to say. What an amazing quality! Not something you see a lot in this fast moving world.  Seeing Susan always put a smile on my face. It didn't matter how much time passed between our get-togethers, Susan wanted to hear everything. The conversations that Susan and I had were so much more than just catching up. And it never seemed like we finished our conversations. I guess we took for granted that we would have "next time" to keep it going. One thing I'll never forget is how helpful Susan was when I was just a young boy who was suffering from migraines. I remember Susan taking time out of her day to try to relieve the pain. She would try to have me describe the migraine to her ("What color is it?" "What side of your head?" "How long has it been there for?") with hopes of it disappearing. And it worked...I'm pretty sure it was Susan's patience (and not her technique) that was most effective. Another thing I remember is that I never saw Susan in a down mood - always smiling and involved - how is that even possible?! 
And who can forget laughing hysterically with Susan at the holiday dinners  - whether it was because she was putting too much salt on her plate or something inappropriate that someone said. You could always count on Susan to participate in the good humor.  I will forever be grateful for the time my family was able to spend with Susan. I just hope she knew how special she was to each of us.  
Susan, we miss you more than words can say.

Susan was an extremely special person to us.  We will miss Susan so much as she was such a loving, kind and thoughtful person.  I always felt a special bond with Susan as she is my godmother. We would be able to connect on a wide ranging number of topics and all she ever cared about was that I was doing well and that I was happy. She never got the opportunity to meet Spencer, but I know how much she would love him. Arielle and I cherish our dinners with Susan and Mark over the years. I’m so grateful that Susan (and Mark) was able to get to know Arielle on such a personal level. We love and miss you Susan. 

Susan was an extremely special person to us.  We will miss Susan so much as she was such a loving, kind and thoughtful person.  I always felt a special bond with Susan as she is my godmother. We would be able to connect on a wide ranging number of topics and all she ever cared about was that I was doing well and that I was happy. She never got the opportunity to meet Spencer, but I know how much she would love him. Arielle and I cherish our dinners with Susan and Mark over the years. I’m so grateful that Susan (and Mark) was able to get to know Arielle on such a personal level. 

We love and miss you Susan. 

Aunt Susan was such a wonderful part of our family. Even though our times of seeing her was during holidays and special events, she always took those opportunities to always check in and keep up to date with our lives. The joy she brought to everyone during those times was unmatched and always awaited. She will truly be missed by more then just our family but everyone she came into contact with. 

Delicious Susan joined our family when she was 7 years old.  She was a cute, shy, and frightened little girl who quickly turned into a sweet, warm and loving family member,  who had 2 little girls and a dog who idolized her.
     Susan taught us all to realize the importance of family and friends.  She was a great mentor for all of us!  Her sweet smile and kind words will be missed by all, especially at family meetings, gatherings, and celebrations.  
     Susan was a very special, special person!

Susan was such a joy to be around.  While we only saw Susan and Mark during holiday dinners, seeing them is one of the things I looked forward to the most about the holidays.  The joy on Susan’s face when she saw my cousins, brother and I was probably the memory that will last the longest.  She showed the greatest interest in everything we were doing.  My greatest memory of all is when my Mom and I came into the city to have dinner with Susan and Mark.  Hung in their apartment, walked to a restaurant near them.  I felt like a grown-up, my obsession with Manhattan came from that moment.  Susan was such a fascinating person, the life she lived, the stories of her becoming a part of my family as a young girl, her joy and happiness to be around my cousins, brother and I.  Memories that will last forever.  We will forever celebrate her memory during our family dinners. The lasting impression on my life of Aunt Susan will forever bring me happiness.

Susan was always very special to me. She was my big sister, my confidant. I remember being thrilled she’d let me into her room to listen to her records. I remember looking up to her and listening to every word she said.
I will miss our long talks, whether on the phone or in person. I’ll miss our talks about her shopping sprees or our adventures. I will miss everything about Susan.
I miss  Susan so much and will cherish the memories we made, just wish there would be more.
Rest In Peace Susan. Love you.
Barbara

     Susan was my “sister”, my friend, my confidant, and the Godmother to one of my sons.  My earliest  recollections of Susan were of her playing with the many puppies “Nellie” had, teaching me how to dance the Lindy using the refrigerator handle as my partner, and teaching me all the words to the 50’s Oldies But Goodies album.  After getting my driver’s license at the age of 17, the first and only time I drove through Manhattan, was to visit Susan on Seaman Ave.
     I will miss everything about Susan - our talks on the phone, our visits, our family dinners, celebrations, milestones, political discussions, book sharings, our laughs, and her presence!  
     Susan was an important part of our lives- my children’s lives and their children’s lives.  She was my oldest and probably closest friend! Susan was smart, clever, loving, kind, compassionate, accomplished and had a great sense of humor.  She and Mark are and were an integral part of our family!  Sorry folks - Mark is already booked for Thanksgiving!
      We will miss Susan terribly, but I am thankful for the memories we made and wish we had more time to make new ones!
Ronnie and Robert

I will miss our endless hours of analyzing our lives together. I've learned so much from you, Susan, and I will treasure all of it. I will always remember our lunches together and our phone calls. Please accept my heartfelt sympathies to Mark and other family members. I hope you're in the arms of the angels and that you will find great comfort there. 

     We are so sad to lose our neighbor and friend Susan.  Susan was accomplished, kind, and compassionate, and had a great sense of humor.  We will miss our dinners out with Mark and Susan together, as well as her enthusiastic presence at family occasions in our home.  Her care and concern for our two boys has always been a comfort.  She will be missed by our 4 wily and chaotic mini dachshunds.  She  loved them and had the requisite tolerance for them.
We all know that Susan was beautiful on the inside.  Here is an anecdote about her outer beauty:  
     When our now 25 year old son turned 5, we had a large outdoor birthday party.  We invited family,  friends,  and neighbors,  as well as some classmates and parents of both of our boys.  One parent that I was friendly with spoke to me during the party.  This woman had her doctorate in school psychology.  She was surprised and delighted that her former psychology professor Dr Fleischer was at the party.  She said that she was a great teacher.  She also said that Susan was very beautiful and  every guy in the class was  absolutely captivated by her!
Rachel Moore and Michael Bogner

We always saw Susan at the holidays and family simchas.  We will miss her sense of humor, her knowledge on a variety of subjects and her charming presence.  Her company at these events will certainly be missed. 
Love Sharon and Joel

We will all missing Susan at our family celebrations.  She was a kind, warm person with a great sense of humor.    
Love from Adam and Jacqui 


We will miss seeing Susan at holidays and family celebrations. We will always remember her as a thoughtful, kind, smart woman with a great sense of humor. Love from Stephanie, Michael, and Madeline Carniol

Susan was an extremely beloved member of our family and we all adored her.  She was funny, kind and always so lovely to be around, we always had a good time together.  She will be painfully missed at all family gatherings, it truly won't be the same without her warm presence.  

Susan was my cousin, my friend and my "sister" for our entire lives but for my first 13 days as she hadn't been born yet.  (She never stopped teasing me for being 13 days older).  Together with our other cousin Susan,  who was only 2 months older, we spent all of our early childhood playing together on weekends, thus forming an unbreakable bond.  As working adults, we would speak on the phone fairly regularly.  Many people knew and respected Susan for her academic prowess (as did I), but our phone conversations and get togethers of the 4 of us including, of course, Jackie and Mark, were much more childish and fun.  The Florida visits, the trips to Seattle, Arizona, etc.  were great.

What impresses me now when I look back is just how much we really cared about each other's welfare even while we were little.  There is one example that I can still remember.  It happened soon after she lost her mom at 7 years old.
Both Susan's were staying with us that summer in our country cottage in Lake Peekskill.  Every day, Tony the ice cream man came by the house yelling "Get the money"!  At some point he was giving out 8 x 10 glossy photos of celebrities, and all the kids on our street especially wanted Dean Martin & Jerry Lewis .  One day, somehow Susan Simon and I got out to the truck before the other kids and Tony told us to meet him secretly further on because he had gotten the Dean & Jerry's and only had 2 .  After we got them, we were walking back and feeling bad about Susan not getting one, and just at that moment, my one picture separated into 2!  But the big deal is that we loved her and felt so bad that her mom died.  We were only 7!  I am absolutely certain that we would have given up one of ours if not for the miracle.

One  funny memory- When Susan became a professor at Queens College, Susan Simon and I planned to sneak into one of her classes and surprise her, but we did not have the guts!

Our family's hearts are broken, and will miss Susan terribly - forever.

Although I wasn't in constant contact with my first cousin Susan over the years, my memories of her return to my childhood.  We got together often. I always looked up to my older "beatnik" cousin, with her wonderful sense of style! 

My Aunt Susan...She taught me about antique jewelry and where to shop for it.  She taught me how to dress by wearing what looked best for my body type. She taught me that I may be drawn to people who have familiar character traits but, that familiar isn't always best. She taught me about myself. She always understood me and stood up for me. She was my person, my go to. I will miss our many shopping sprees, our fabulous lunches and talks and, her unique sense of humor. Most of all, I will miss being able to call her and hear her voice on the other end.  She is and will always be greatly missed but, I am blessed to have had her in my life.

She was my kid sister.  We shared many childhood memories. I will miss her dearly.

We will miss seeing  cousin Susan’s smiling face at all of our holiday dinners and family celebrations.  We always enjoyed speaking with Susan, especially about psychology and politics. Susan was smart, compassionate and had a great sense of humor.   May her memory be a blessing for Mark, our family and for Susan’s friends and family.     

As her older brother, I will miss our talks, particularly about our shared childhood experiences.  Sh.e was my kid sister and I will miss her dearly

I am so saddened by the death of Susan.  I have so many great memories of her that will be etched in my heart forever.  Sue and I met on a trip to Eastern Europe and became fast friends.  It was not   a casual friendship but a deep friendship.  I feel  my relationship with Sue was special.  I was in awe of Sue. She was so bright  and one of  the sweetest and caring people that I knew.  Will always remember the times when they came to  Long Island.  We would meet for dinner with Mark and my husband  Bernie and then go to a movie in Huntington.
Rest In Peace.  You will always be in my thoughts. 

My dad, Michael, my mom Jackie, Erin and I loved being with Susan. She was so warm, smart and funny. We love her and will miss her greatly. Dad and Susan had a special bond. Susan will be in our hearts forever.
Marla

Susan was the coolest. My sister and I always looked up to her and loved being around her. We loved to talk shopping, life and psychology with her. . She was bright, funny insightful and loved. We will miss her. 

Susan was a brilliant girl who overcame great adversity to become a very successful woman with her sense of humor fully intact. We’ve lost a truly unique person.

Friends of Thomas Jefferson H.S., Brooklyn, New York, send their heartfelt sympathies to Susan's friends and loved ones. May Susan's soul rest in peace and may she live in the hearts of all fortunate to  have known her.

OBITUARY

Susan Fleischer

11 May, 1944 – 11 March, 2021

Riverside Memorial Chapel

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