Susan Boomer Brumback

Susan Boomer Brumback, 87, of Orlando, FL, passed away peacefully on November 26, 2022. Susan was born on June 24, 1935 in Detroit, Michigan to Roy Edmund and Helen Clippert Boomer. The youngest of five siblings, she had many fond memories of childhood adventures with her brothers, Bob and Ned, and sisters Catherine and Christine, all of whom remained close throughout their lives. As all who knew her would attest, Susan had a bold spirit and endless energy. She was always on the go, living by the slogan “just do it” and encouraged everyone else to do the same.

Susan graduated from University Liggett School and The University of Michigan, where she was a member of Pi Beta Phi Sorority. Susan earned her bachelor’s degree in Spanish followed by a teaching certification from Wayne State University and enjoyed teaching high school Spanish in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan for many years.

While visiting Central Florida in 1965, Susan was introduced to John S. Brumback Jr. by her sister, Catherine Boomer Gilmore, who assisted John with his run for US Congress. While John did not succeed in winning the election, he did win Susan’s affection. They married at The Cathedral Church of St. Paul in Detroit in 1966, and made their home in Orlando.

Over the years, Susan was an active volunteer with numerous organizations, including her daughters’ schools, Girl Scout troops, and St. Mary’s of the Angels Episcopal Church. She served as Treasurer of the Young Women’s Community Club where she interviewed candidates for services and helped organize the center’s successful fundraising lecture series. Susan was a member of The Rosalind Club for 44 years, where she served as Assistant Treasurer and Treasurer as well as Membership Secretary.

Susan loved to travel and did so throughout her life. As a young woman, she traveled independently to India and Kashmir which created in her a fearless sense of adventure and a life-long pursuit of seeing the world. Seeking an escape from the Florida heat, she spent many summers in Lake Tahoe where she hosted family members and friends. Susan enjoyed visiting her family in Michigan, which she still considered her home, and she was delighted by the revival of her childhood neighborhood, the Boston Edison District.

Susan was a dog’s best friend and treated her many rescue dogs with such wonderful care that neighbors joked they wanted to come back in the next life as a Brumback dog.

Susan was predeceased by her husband, John, her brothers Robert and Roy (Ned) Boomer, and her sisters Catherine Boomer Gilmore and Christine Boomer Boldenweck. Susan is survived by her daughters, Cynthia Frances Brumback, Helen Leonard (Tony), Christine Boomer Brumback, grandsons Tony and John Leonard, and several nieces and nephews.

A family memorial service will be held in Michigan in June 2023 with interment of ashes at Woodlawn Cemetery in Detroit.

In lieu of flowers, Susan requested that donations in her memory be made to Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Guiding Eyes for the Blind, or Pet Alliance of Greater Orlando.