Mrs. Suzanne (Brizzolari) Block

Suzanne Block, 76, passed peacefully away from lung cancer June 19, 2022 at California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco, California. Born, November 19, 1945, in Burbank, California, she was the youngest daughter of the late Raymond and Catherine Brizzolari. Sue initially attended elementary school in the Los Angeles area before her family took a summer vacation to Anchorage, Alaska in the late 1940s, where they ultimately settled. Sue graduated from West Anchorage High School in 1963 and majored in physics at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks, graduating with honors in 1967. In early 1967, Sue married Ronald Marvin Block, where they lived in Fairbanks, Alaska, Grand Forks, North Dakota, and Annapolis, Maryland until their divorce in 1975. During this time Sue worked various jobs, including as a laboratory technician and high school mathematics and physics teacher. In October 1973, Sue gave birth to her only child, David. After moving back to Anchorage with young David in tow, Sue continued to work as a high school math and science educator and then switched to special education, where she taught special needs children at several Anchorage area schools, including Denali Elementary and Kincaid Elementary, until her retirement in February 2000. Sue was also a member of the Alpha Iota chapter of the Epsilon Sigma Alpha philanthropic sorority for 25+ years, where she volunteered countless hours helping to fundraise for worthy causes, including St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and Easter Seals. In her free time, Sue loved to camp on the spit in Homer, Alaska and travel, taking trips to Kenya, New Zealand, Australia, and Russia during her summer vacations. In 2010, Sue moved to Discovery Bay, California to be close to David, his wife Jennifer, and grandchildren, Alexander Ray and Kathryn Claire. Never one to stay idle, Sue then began volunteering at the Brentwood Library first as a book sorter, then expanding into fundraising by assisting with book sales from community donated books, a role she continued until her passing. She will forever be remembered for her kindness, friendship, generosity, sharp wit, and work ethic. She is survived by her son David and his wife Jenny; two grandchildren, Alex and Katey; nieces Kim, Cheryl, and Patty; nephew Richard; and cousins Flo Sue and Donna. Sue was predeceased by her parents, older sister Jacqueline Randlett and older brother Robert Brizzolari.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, July 30 at 10:00am at Kaleidoscope Cancer Connection, located at 14671 Byron Hwy, Byron, California. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be given in Sue’s name to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital or Friends of the Brentwood Library.