Obituaries

Early the morning of 26 October, Sue passed away quickly and quietly of natural causes at her home in Daly City, California. She was 63 years young.

Very few people have the gift of light that Sue had. Sue was generous to a fault, literally, and gave the benefit of the doubt even to those who tried to be vexing to her. It really did take a lot to induce Sue to say anything negative about another person (she almost never spoke ill of anyone). Sue had a big heart, a wonderful sense of humor, and loved to laugh--the most common description of Sue's laugh was that it was "infectious." When Sue got going, she usually could bring everyone else--often even newcomers to her circle of friends--with her.

Though Sue never married or had children, she was nonetheless a major influence in helping to raise her nieces and nephews into the fine people they have grown to be. They were the little loves of her life, and only equal to them was Sue's goddaughter Cindy Sam, "the daughter of her heart," a phrase coined by Sue's lifetime friend Addie Moray (her best friend of 38 years). Sue was dearly loved by her entire extended family, especially her nieces and nephews, and her friends (of whom there were many, going back to high school and college).

Sue received her B.S. in Microbiology from the University of Maryland and her M.S. in Health Systems Administration from George Washington University. Her career in Health Systems Administration spanned more than 30 years, beginning with joining the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) as an intern in Buffalo, New York, and eventually relocating to the San Francisco VA Medical Center, where she served as a respected administrator for over 29 years. At the time of her passing, Sue had just begun to plan her well-deserved retirement from government service.

Sue loved traveling (in particular trips she took with her mother to Kings Canyon National Park and to New Zealand). Sue regaled family and friends with very funny stories about her trips (in particular New Zealand). She was a lifelong reader and enjoyed mysteries.

Sue was preceded in death by her parents, Arthur F. Ferris and Fent H. Ferris, and her eldest brother, Peter H. Ferris.

She is survived by her next-eldest brother, John R. Ferris and John's wife Beverly, and their daughters Cathryn Mahr and Sarah, and Cathryn's husband Skylar; her younger sister, Elizabeth F. Hart and Elizabeth's husband Burtin, and their surviving sons Michael and Jeffrey, and Jeffrey's wife Erica; her deceased brother Peter's daughter Whitney and son Taylor, and Taylor's wife Cory; two grandnieces and one grandnephew.

Sue was adamant about people caring properly for their pets, as she did her two most recent cats, Oreo and Dora. In lieu of flowers, Sue's family asks that donations in her memory be made to:

Peninsula Humane Society and SPCA Tom and Annette Lantos Center for Compassion 1450 Rollins Rd. Burlingame CA 94010