Susan Mead Obituary

Susan Lynn McGinnis Mead

Susan Mead passed away peacefully Thursday, July 25, 2024, at Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Florida after a courageous battle with cancer. She was surrounded by her daughter, Whitney (Louis), son, Nicholas, cousin, Judy, and friends, Sandy, Becca, and Patrick.

She was born Nov. 21, 1956, in Wheeling, West Virginia, to Valerie (Jones) and James E. McGinnis. Susan was raised in Elm Grove, West Virginia, Delaware, Ohio, and Steubenville. She was accepted to MIT at 15. However, her father thought is was too far away to attend at such a young age.

She relocated to Florida in 2006 to take care of her aging parents until their deaths in 2017 and 2021. After her parents' passing, Susan enjoyed hanging out with the Lei-Dee's group playing canasta, LCR, bunko, and much more. She loved sewing, crafting, entertaining, cooking, and baking.

Susan had a number of different jobs throughout her life beginning at Kroger and then at various advertising and marketing agencies, high school and college tutor, space technologist, and phlebotomist. Her last position was assisting at a clinical research company helping to connect those less fortunate to obtain free screenings and disease studies. Her most rewarding jobs were being a mother, grandma, friend, sister, and caretaker of her parents. She loved nothing more than being with family, especially around the holidays where the majority of family and extended family could all be together.

She dearly loved her grandkids, Brooks, Emma, and Harper (Jaclyn and Alex) even though she didn't get to see them as often as she'd like. She also loved Whitney's nanny kids like her own grandkids as well as all her fur babies including Lucy and Lily! Susan devoted her life to helping others and ensuring their happiness and success. She never met a stranger and would give the shirt off her back to anyone in need.

Throughout her battle with cancer, she continued to be positive, loving, caring, and her "smart aleck" self, rarely complaining and using humor to get through the days, always thinking of and trying to do for others. She cared more about how others were doing and wanted to hear about their life rather than talk about herself. Her strong and unwavering faith in God was her guide and she knew He had a plan for her.

In lieu of flowers or gifts, she would love for you to donate to the nonprofit she created called Susan's Life which she established to provide patients with patient advocates, cancer screenings for those with financial hardships, and much more. To donate, please visit www.susanslife.org to continue her mission of helping others in a time of need.

Susan's celebration of life will be 2-5 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024, at Froehlich's Classic Corner, 501 Washington Street, Steubenville. Please wear her favorite colors of blue or teal.