Susan Gerrianne Partee Barnum

Sarasota, FL – Susan Gerrianne Partee Barnum, 68, died December 11, 2021. Sue, or “Nana” as she was known to her grandchildren, was born in Lake Geneva, WI, on December 7, 1953, to Robert and Pauline (Petshak) Partee. She was the youngest of three children. Four years later, the family moved to Florida, finally settling in Sarasota where she was thrilled that her mom enrolled her in ballet and baton. Sue attended Saint Martha Catholic School, and graduated from Sarasota High School in 1971. She took classes at Manatee Junior College for a year before transferring to Sarasota County Technical Institute to become a Licensed Practical Nurse.

In 1984, Sue moved to Vermont and settled in Brookline to raise her family. She found fulfilling employment at World Learning in Brattleboro, VT. There, she worked in various departments from Projects & Grants, Human Resources, and eventually Assistant to the Dean of Study Abroad. She read lots of books, but mostly loved spending time with her family hiking, canoeing and camping across Vermont and Maine. She also enjoyed rafting down the West River, and picking and canning wild berries during the summers.

After her children had grown, Sue moved back to Florida, settling again in Sarasota. She was employed by Guarantee Mutual Life, Retirement Money Management, and Michigan Commercial Insurance Mutual. In 2013, she was reunited with a childhood friend, Gary Simmons, who became the love of her life. Together, they enjoyed fishing, boating, camping and spending time at Lido beach. Gary’s family adopted her as “Nana Sue” and she doted on his children and grandchildren as if they were her own.

Sue made friends wherever she went and kept in contact with them over the years. She looked forward to her lunch dates with high school friends and attended several reunions with the SHS class of 1971. She also enjoyed traveling to see friends and family, and when her daughter moved to Germany, she traveled there often to spend time with her family there.

Sue leaves behind her family: daughter Jennifer “Jaycie” Puttlitz (Erik) and their children Domenick and Julien of Colchester, VT, step-son Nicholas Barnum (Sarah Shelton) of Eugene, OR, daughter Sarah Neumer (Daniel) and their children Emilie and Elias of Ludwigshafen, Germany, and son Robert Barnum (Kara) and their children Robbie and Kaylee of Westmoreland, NH, and she leaves behind brother Robert Partee (Marilyn) and his family of Bear, DE, brother Philip Partee of Sarasota, FL, and various cousins in Wisconsin. Sue also leaves behind her loving partner, Gary Simmons, his daughter Amanda Woolf (Kevin) and their children Jacob and Cooper, his daughter Samantha Morin (Steve) and their son Houlton, and his sister Stephanie Simmons (Tom Alman).

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.palmsrobartsfuneralhome.com for the Barnum family.