Susan F. Reeves

Susan was born September 14, 1957 at Mercy Hospital in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to Kathleen Kelly Foulk and Frank B. Foulk, Sr. Susan was the baby of the bunch, with three older brothers (Michael, Frank Jr., and Richard) who were not real sure what to do when this beautiful little blonde entered their lives…

During the summer of 1967, the family left Pittsburgh bound for Houston where Susan’s father was transferred. Susan began her Texas education in Spring Branch ISD at Meadow Wood Elementary School, followed by Spring Forest Junior High, Westchester High School and then on to Stratford Senior High School where she was a member of its first graduating class.

As a young girl, Susan had a love for and an exceptional talent in art and design. Knowing that this would be her career path, she entered the University of Texas at Austin to pursue art. Susan pledged Gamma Phi Beta Sorority - a sisterhood that provided most of her special friendships throughout her life - and also while at UT, she met and became friends with John Reeves. In 1979, Susan graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree and began her career in advertising and design at Mel Anderson Communications. Within a few years after college, Susan realized that John was no longer just her friend, but the love of her life and they married in 1983 at St. John Vianney Church in a ceremony by the beloved Father Joe Crosthwait.

At only 29 years of age, Susan had the maturity, wisdom and vision to start her own graphic design firm and in 1986, she partnered with another professional and founded Prism Design, Inc. Very few - if any - women started and led their own businesses in the 1980s, but Susan was passionate and determined. There were accolades and awards at every turn! From the Houston Business Journal Book of Lists to the Art Director’s Club of Houston to the International Association of Business Communicators and beyond, Prism earned gold and silver awards. But Susan’s greatest joy was that for many years, Prism Design, Inc. was in the Top 10 Graphic Design firms in Houston! Susan’s employees, colleagues and customers were always impressed with her unique vision, incredible design, forward-thinking concepts and generous spirit. Prism Design was her ‘child’ and she fed and nourished it to the fine reputation it earned. In 2017 when five feet of water poured into her beautiful home as an aftermath of Hurricane Harvey, Susan made the onerous decision to let Prism go.

Throughout her life, Susan was dedicated to John and her family, always bringing everyone together for parties and events and annually hosting the entire family for Christmas. Susan was also Godmother to her niece Rachel, the first Foulk grandchild, with whom she shared her passion for art. After Susan’s father died in 1999, she was devoted to her best friend – her mother – and treasured their special time together in Houston as well as in their travels to France and beyond.

Susan spent much of her spare time serving for many years in multiple leadership roles of the Gamma Phi Beta Sorority Houston Alumnae Chapter and volunteering her time as a champion to further the organization at the national and international level. She was also hired as designer for the international branding and merchandising campaign with Gamma Phi Beta Foundation in Denver which she loved doing. Last year, Susan was appointed to serve on the Board of the Houston Alumnae Panhellenic Association.

Susan is preceded in death by her father, Frank Benjamin Foulk, Sr. She is survived and missed by her dear husband John of 36 years, her mother, Kathleen Kelly Foulk, her brothers Michael Frank Foulk, his wife Diane, their son Matthew and their daughter Rachel; Frank Foulk Jr., his wife Katherine and their son, Christopher; and Richard Stephen Foulk; her brothers-in-law James Louis Reeves, his wife Marsha, and Charles Robert Reeves. Susan is also survived and forever loved by the special souls Smokey and Yogi – her Cairn and West Highland Terriers. She will always lovingly be remembered by her countless friends, relatives, in-laws, sorority sisters and business colleagues.

Susan was taken from us all much too soon and her love, loyalty and laughter will never be forgotten. Wherever her soul is bound, may there be beautiful, cool art and sculpture all around, a Mac for her many interests, art materials for her creative projects, Champagne to drink, vintage clothing and accessories to wear, wonderful food and may she be reunited with those friends and relatives she so dearly loved.

Friendships multiply joys and divide griefs. Susan would want us all to remember this.

A celebration of Susan’s life will be held at 10:30AM on Monday, August 12th at St. John Vianney Catholic Church, 625 Nottingham Oaks Trail, Houston, TX 77079. The reception will begin immediately afterwards at 11:30AM followed by the burial at Memorial Oaks Cemetery at 1:30PM.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Susan’s memory may be made to Houston Alumnae Panhellenic Foundation for the Susan Foulk Reeves Gamma Phi Beta Memorial Scholarship. Checks should be sent to HAPF Treasurer, 5868 A-1 Westheimer Road, #342, Houston, TX 77057-5641. Please write Susan Foulk Reeves Gamma Phi Beta Memorial Scholarship on your check, Zelle or Square payment.