Obituary of Susan Higgins DeFago

Susan "Sue" Higgins DeFago Ph.D -HUDSON Susan passed away with great dignity and respect on April 29th, 2014 at 7:10 in the evening while being attended to at the Cleveland Clinic. After a short but difficult battle with cancer and heart complications, Susan spent her final days and moments surrounded and comforted by her doting husband, family and friends. Susan was born on September 28th, 1948 to Dr. Albert and Virginia Hammond in Baltimore, MD. As a testament to Susan's lifelong passion for learning and teaching, she served as a beloved Professor of Marketing on the campus at John Carroll University. It is without doubt that her students, colleagues, family and friends would all agree that Susan could always be counted on to listen whole heartedly to their problems at hand. Giving both her interest and undivided attention, Susan always made herself available to listen to your questions, concerns, or just your news of the day. Susan was a loving mother of 3, a parent of 6, and a grandmommy and nana to 9. She was a calming force in all of her children's lives, and served as a voice of reason, a mentor and a best friend. Susan was a lover of crossword puzzles, politics and the news. She cherished her annual beach vacations with her family, and enjoyed cheering on the Tribe, Buckeyes and Browns on the TV. She was smart, patient and full of class, and she knew how to use her sharp wit to light up the room. The last few years of her life were some of her most memorable spent, as she treasured them with the love of her life, Dennis, enjoying their life together on the lake. Susan is preceded in death by her parents Albert and Virginia Hammond, and her mother-in-law Ann DeFago. Susan is survived by her adoring husband, Dennis, her brother Ormond (Leslie), by her children Michael (Anne), Chris (Megan), Julie (Greg), Amber, Michelle (Nick), Erica (Joe), and by her grandchildren Sarah, Kate, Virginia, Julius, Felix, Lyla, Quentin, Miles, and Annie, along with nieces and friends. A Celebration of Susan's life will take place on Saturday, from 3-5 pm, at the Anthony Funeral Home MCGOWAN-REID & SANTOS CHAPEL, 247 Stow Ave.(at 3rd. St., one block north of Portage Trail in) Cuyahoga Falls. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the American Heart Association Mid-Atlantic Affiliate 174 East Bay Street, Suite 300 A-B Charleston, SC 29401. (Anthony Funeral Homes, CUYAHOGA FALLS, anthonyfh.com, 330.928.1313)