Suzanne Aileen Kay Nieburgs, age 78, a resident of Worcester, Massachusetts, and formerly of New York City, died at her home on April 6, 2022, after brief illness.
Suzanne was born in Montreal on Feb. 3, 1944, the daughter of Kenneth Kongsley and Aileen Argyle Delancey (White) Kay. She received a bachelor’s degree in library science from the University of Toronto and went on to study computer science at George Williams University in Montreal. She spent summers in Kennebunkport in the 1950s and ’60s. The Kays eventually moved to Kennebunkport permanently in 1980.
Suzanne met her husband, Herbert Eguda Nieburgs, on a public bus in France when he sat next to her and struck up conversation. After a period of courtship, they married on Nov. 3, 1978, by Chief Justice Brown of the New York Supreme Court.
Herbert was a world-renowned lecturer and researcher in the field of cancer detection and treatment, and together with Suzanne founded the International Society for Preventative Oncology. At different times during her tenure at ISPO she served as the society’s president and treasurer. With Herbert by her side, Suzanne traveled the world, attending conferences for the society in many different countries. The couple also invested in the future of preventative medicine by funding a multitude of scholarships for medical students over the years.
She was an avid art collector, enjoyed her time spent in her garden, and was always a convivial dinner host for her friends and family. Her love of animals and their well-being was evidenced by her support for the Animal Welfare Society and the Marine Mammal Center. Following the passing of Herbert in 2013, Suzanne would make a trip up to Hope Cemetery in Kennebunk every Saturday from early May to late October to put flowers on his grave, as well as the graves of her parents, her sister Julie and her parent’s caregiver, Florence Doherty. She touched many lives during her lifetime and will be missed.
Suzanne is predeceased by her beloved husband, Herbert E. Nieburgs; her parents, Kenneth and Aileen Kay; and her beloved sister, Julie Kay Brusse, who died in 2016. She is survived by friend and long-time caregiver, Carmen Carmona of Worcester, and her friend, Nathaniel Turner.
Visiting hours for Suzanne will be held at Bibber Memorial Chapel, 67 Summer St., Kennebunk on Thursday, April 21, 2022, from 11 a.m. to noon, followed immediately by a funeral service at Bibber Memorial Chapel at noon. Suzanne will be laid to rest beside her husband, Herbert, at Hope Cemetery in Kennebunk, immediately following the service.
Should friends desire, memorial donations can be made in Suzanne’s memory to The Canadian Wildlife Federation (Ottawa – Head Office), c/o Donor Relations, 350 Michael Cowpland Drive, Kanata, Ontario K2M 2W1, or to the Animal Welfare Society, 46 Holland Road, Kennebunk, ME 04043.
To share a memory or leave a message of condolence, please visit Suzanne ’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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