Susan Amelia (Collins) Clark, 81, passed away at home on Sept. 17, 2021, after a long, brave, and often miraculous battle with multiple health issues.
The great passions of her life were her people, her home, and her unwavering belief in the power of humor, love and compliments.
Susan was born on Aug. 29, 1940 in Niagara Falls, New York, the fifth of 11 children born to Charles and Marion (Silver) Collins. She graduated from Mount Saint Mary’s Academy in Kenmore, New York.
She moved to Maine in her 20s and worked at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard. She met Edward Russell Clark, Jr. (“Russ”) at a party, and they eloped on Dec. 29, 1967. They settled in his hometown of Kennebunkport with his sons, Chris and Eric, and had two daughters, Trish and Meg.
She made her home with skill and passion, filling it with fun, love, humor and astonishing array of wise organizational systems.
Susan worked in a wide variety of roles over the years, from administration to accounting to sales. But her fondest (and most surprising) career accomplishment was obtaining her lobstering license and accompanying her husband Russ as his stern man, banding lobsters and baiting traps as they fished out of Cape Porpoise Harbor from the boat he’d named for her.
She loved being a mother, and welcomed and celebrated her grandchildren, Owen and Lily, when they arrived. She had a special gift for connecting with toddlers, and spent hours down on the floor with her nieces and nephews, playing made up games, singing silly songs and laughing.
She was a fun, loving friend and a trusted source of experience, strength and hope for many.
Susan is survived by her husband Russell, their daughters, Patricia Ryan and her husband Steven of Boxford, Massachusetts, and Marguerite Raymond and her husband Patrick of Buxton; her grandchildren, Owen and Lily Raymond; and two of her siblings – her sister, Dorothy Mazza, and her brother, Fr. Stephen Collins. She was preceded in death by three sisters, Mary Carol Collins, Catherine Schreiber and Debbie Freddoso, as well as five brothers, Charles “Jim” Collins, Thomas Collins, Richard Collins, Francis Collins and Christopher Collins.
A burial service will be held graveside at Arundel Cemetery in Kennebunkport on Tuesday, Sept. 28 at 11 a.m.
Donations in memory of Susan may be made to the Biddeford Food Pantry: www.Biddefordfoodpantry.org.
To share a memory or leave a message of condolence, please visit ‘s Book of Memories Page at www.bibberfuneral.com.
Arrangements are in care of Bibber Memorial Chapel, 67 Summer St., Kennebunk, ME 04043.
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