Susan Margaret Ponce

Susan Margaret Ponce, lived 49 wonderful years and passed from us far too soon on Wednesday, the 16th of May 2012. Mom calls Susan “Beauty.” Daddy calls her “BooBoo.” David calls her “Sweet Pea.” Those who’ve had the privilege of loving her call her extraordinary. Susan Margaret Ponce has been wife, daughter, sister, aunt, godmother, cousin, niece, boss, mentor, colleague, friend and so much more. She’s been an example of grace, dignity, courage, character, good humor, sincerity, discipline, fun, compassion and adventurousness. And even that falls woefully short of doing her justice.

Susan Margaret Ponce was born on the 22nd of March 1963, in El Paso, Texas, to Abraham and Jovita Ponce. In 1971, Susan moved with her family to Arlington, attending Wimbish Elementary and Shackelford Junior High and graduating in Lamar High’s Class of 1981. She received a B.A. in political science from the University of Texas at Arlington in 1985, her J.D. from UT Law School in 1988 and an LL.M. with Merit in 1990 from the University of London, Queen Mary and Westfield College.

Susan played oboe, not sports, in high school, but she competed and succeeded in the corporate world through solid values and her extra-special charm. Meticulous, dedicated and intent on putting her best effort into whatever she did, Susan ascended the ranks as a lawyer for Halliburton, the oil field services giant, becoming a senior vice president and one of the company’s highest-ranking women. During 22 years with Halliburton, Susan developed the Environmental Law Practice Group, oversaw 15 offices across the globe as Chief Commercial Counsel and in 2009 became the company’s first-ever Chief Ethics and Compliance Officer. She was a member of the Pennsylvania bar, admitted to the U.S. Supreme Court bar and active in numerous professional organizations.

Even with her high-ranking titles and serious responsibilities, Susan was an old-fashioned girl at heart. She loved Lucy, old movies, jigsaw puzzles, her mother’s Mexican food, the Stations of the Cross and her cat boys, Willoughby and Bartholomew. Susan wrote personal Christmas notes, remembered birthdays, bought ornaments for her goddaughter from all over the world and scolded her siblings for not keeping in better touch with each other. Though she was the most accomplished member of the family, when UT Arlington named her a Distinguished Alumna from the Honors College in 2006, her thank you speech recognized her parents and siblings before ever mentioning herself.

The most joyous event of Susan’s life was marrying David King, her friend, workout partner, Halliburton colleague and her great love, on the 31st of October 2009. She carefully planned their beautiful wedding and a party where friends could help celebrate; designed her dress; and danced happily with David all night. In 2011, David helped Susan accomplish one of her goals: to visit all 50 states before she turned 50.

In one of life’s inexplicable random injustices, lung cancer jumped into Susan’s life in 2008. But through thoughtful treatment directed by Dr. Ralph Zinner at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, David’s unfailing love and her own determination, Susan continued to work, play and enrich the lives of others.

Susan defined success as making even some small difference, continuing to learn new things and making sure the people who are important to you know it. She made an indelible difference, taught us how to live and blessed us immeasurably.

She was preceded in death by her grandparents, Abe and Emilia Ponce of Clint, and Alex and Kate Murillo of El Paso. Susan is survived by her husband, David S. King of Houston; parents, Abraham and Jovita Ponce of Arlington; sisters, Julie Grondin of Arlington and Linda and husband Geoff Campbell of Fort Worth; brothers, Andrew and wife Nada Ponce of O’Fallon, Illinois, and Peter and wife Denise Ponce of Arlington; stepsons, Brandon S. King of Houston and Brian C. King and wife Whitney of Chicago, IL; nephews and nieces, Timothy Grondin of Arlington, Kirby and Mackenzie Campbell of Fort Worth, and Matthew and Mark Ponce of Arlington; aunts and uncles, Rudy and Carmen Murillo of Plano, Josie and Bobby Lopez of El Paso, and Eleanor Read of Las Cruces, N.M.; numerous cousins and a worldwide network of friends.

Friends are cordially invited to a visitation with the family from four o’clock in the afternoon until seven o’clock in the evening, on Tuesday, the 22nd of May, in the Jasek Chapel of Geo. H. Lewis & Sons, 1010 Bering Drive in Houston, where a recitation of the Holy Rosary is to commence at seven o’clock.

A Mass of Christian Burial, where we’ll celebrate everything that Susan has been and what she brought to us, is to be offered at ten o’clock in the morning on Wednesday, the 23rd of May, at St. Michael’s Catholic Church, 1801 Sage Road in Houston, where the Rev. Monsignor Frank H. Rossi, Pastor, is to serve as Celebrant.

In lieu of customary remembrances, memorials may be directed to M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, care of Dr. Ralph Zinner, P. O. Box 4486, Houston, TX, 77210-4486.