We sadly share the news that J. Suzanna Laurent, STC Fellow and former STC President (2005–2006), died on Monday, 26 December 2011. Suzanna had been valiantly fighting cancer for the past three years, but was taken from us by injuries she received in a fall.
Suzanna was a consummate professional in whatever she did. She led STC with heart and yet managed to make hard decisions when it was necessary. She guided our Board of Directors in a very difficult time and managed the challenges with intelligence and success. Many of us learned from her and treasure the experience.
“Suzanna Laurent was the personification of grace and courage under intense fire,” said STC Executive Director Kathryn Burton. “She took on the leadership of STC during a particularly challenging time and as an individual she faced incredible personal difficulties that would have felled a lesser soul. She was well loved and will be missed.”
“Suzanna served as President during a particularly complex transition from an older style of governance to a more streamlined, transparent, and open style,” said STC President Hillary Hart. “She was incredible: she brought together the disparate factions within STC and showed great courage and leadership. I am honored to follow in her footsteps.”
Services will be held on 30 December 2011 at 2:00 PM CST (GMT-6) at the following location. Interment follows as noted.
Mercer Adams Chapel
3925 N. Asbury Ave.
Bethany, Oklahoma 73008
Interment
Memorial Park Cemetery
13400 N. Kelley
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, 73131
Many members knew her husband, Leroy, who occasionally accompanied her to STC events. If you would like his address to send a note or card, please email Kevin Cuddihy at STC.
We are all extremely saddened that we have lost such a vibrant, powerful, and phenomenal leader. However, her contributions to our profession and our organization will live on indefinitely.
A few members have asked about donating to STC in memory of Suzanna Laurent and her service to the Society. In response to these requests, the STC Board of Directors will soon establish a Presidents Fund to honor the memory of Suzanna and all other former STC presidents. We will have full details about the Presidents Fund available in January, and the fund will have a Web page on the STC site with information on donating and a list of donors. If you would like to make a donation now to honor Suzanna (or another former president), please email Greg Larsen at STC and your donation will be included in the Presidents Fund when it is finalized.
Other organizations that played a part in Suzanna's life include the American Cancer Society and the National Kidney Foundation. Click the links for information about donating to those organizations.
This is very sad news. Suzanna became STC president the year I joined the Board. Those were terribly challenging times, and I learned a great deal from working on the Board under Suzanna. I will always remember her tenacity and her infectious laugh!
So very sad, indeed. I have so many wonderful memories of Suzanna. She was our D-S at the Alamo Chapter for a while and she really helped us revitalize and grow that Chapter. I remember the Region 5 Conference she had in Oklahoma City one year. Gosh, she will be missed.
I was so saddened to hear of all our loss. Suzanna was a caring, giving person who taught me what grace under fire really looks like. She had the heart of a lion, and all my respect.
No one knew how to pick the right battles better than Suzanna, nor was there anyone braver in the face of unexpected obstacles. I hope I’ve learned enough to do justice to her great courage.
Special thanks to the individual who captured the essence of what Suzanna contributed to the Society, her colleagues and friends, and all those whose lives she touched during her amazing time with us. The world is truly a better place because she was in it. Rest in peace, my dear friend.
Suzanna was a wonderful friend, a generous mentor, an outstanding leader — and so much more. We will all miss her.
Life goes on…but it will go on with a small hole in it where Suzanna’s strength once was. Suzanna preceded me as Director Sponsor of Region 5 and was two years ahead of me in the Presidential succession on the STC Board. Over the years, she was my mentor and my friend, my sounding board and my confidante. From her I learned that one could be perceived as a kindly grandmother yet be strong and wise and tough and wonderful.
I had always admired Suzanna’s leadership from a distance and got to know her a bit over dinner in Dallas at the conference. What a lady; our organization has certainly experienced a great loss.
My condolences to Leroy and the rest of Suzanna’s immediate family, as well as to her STC family.
Even in death Suzanna is continuing to shape STC, with the soon-to-be-established Presidents Fund that was borne out of people’s admiration for her and her contributions.
May you be of blessed memory, Suzanna.
Suzanna Laurent was my mentor, coworker (at one time), traveling buddy, encourager, anchor, example extraordinaire- most of all, my friend. As my son says, she was “my sister in God’s way.”
Suzanna was the most prioritized woman I’ve ever met. Politically correct or not, she was a Christian first. She would encourage you to read “Heaven is for Real” by Todd Burpo. She was excited about the concepts of Heaven she found in the book. (And now she is experiencing Heaven for real!)
Her family came next. From the almost rare 50+-year marriage with the love of her life, Leroy; to giving her daughter one of her kidneys; to putting her career on hold to care for her 90+-year-old mother until her death, Suzanna was a wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother praised by her family.
Then came her career and the professional organizations to which she belonged. She “loved” what she did for a living, and she wanted everybody else to love it too. She was truly a team player and, when called upon, a team leader! She was a prolific educator about teams, quality, and positive goal setting. Suzanna was veracious about learning everything there was to know about writing, editing, and the software to accomplish it. As you know, she worked her way through the STC Director-Sponsor – Board Member – to President path. Others have spoken of her leadership, courage, and perserverence during her presidency. She was the same type of leader in her beloved Oklahoma Chapter. Even when she was almost too ill to talk, she would ask me,”What’s going on in the chapter?” When I sheepinshly told her, “Not much.” She said, “Maybe we should think about…”
You might not know that she was equally involved in American Business Women’s Association (ABWA). She served in every chapter office, was the ABWA District III Vice President, and was an ABWA Top Ten Businesswomen of the Year in 1996.
The only thing I can think of that she did not do well was accept defeat. You might think the pain and illness of her cancer were her greatest battles, but I can tell you (because she told me often) her most challenging battle was not being able to communicate with you. The chemo and the illness made it almost impossible for her to use her computer. And that made her just plain mad! She would read the cards you sent over and over and over. She got such great comfort from them. Know that she loved you and loved STC. She would be (is) so honored by the fund you are establishing. May it honor her memory. To Suzanna…
I happened upon the sad news of Suzanna’s death by chance just now, as I visited the Society website.
I served on the board with Suzanna, and witnessed her graciousness and good humour on many occasions. She was one of the people who makes this society a unique and wonderful organization.
To all of Suzanna’s friends and family, I am grieving with you.
Suzanna was the force behind STC Houston’s aid to victims of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita back in 2005. I will always remember her calling me to ask our chapter to help, and I felt so humble that she should ask our chapter.
I’m so glad I knew her, and I will definitely miss her.
My thoughts and prayers are with Suzanna’s personal and professional family. She was a shining light who generously shared wisdom and encouragement.
I remember years ago she was the opening speaker at the local STC Currents conference in Atlanta. She encouraged us to elevate the profession by promoting ourselves as business people with writing skills instead of writing people with business skills.
I am very grateful that our paths crossed and I had opportunities to benefit from her wisdom. Her passion was contagious.
I just learned of Suzanna’s passing today. She will be greatly missed within STC for her knowledge, leadership, and friendship. I enjoyed serving with her in Oklahoma.
LaVonna Funkhouser
former president, STC Oklahoma Chapter