[Linganth] Fwd: information about the Zoom service for Susan

Thu Oct 1 22:13:37 UTC 2026

Many of you knew Susan Seizer, who passed away two days ago after a bout of
pneumonia that turned septic.  She was a friend for years, and then became
a colleague -- and had this incredible charismatic energy that you always
knew when she was in the room. This whole day, I keep wondering how I can
do dishes, and take out the trash as if the world has not been radically
altered without her in it.

If anyone would like to write something about Susan, I am going to host
memories on the CaMP anthropology blog
<https://campanthropology.org/2022/05/11/susan-seizer/>, which she helped
found.  Please send them to me.

With great sorrow,
Ilana

About the memorial service tomorrow and words from Catherine Brennan, her
wife:

*Baruch Dayan Ha-Emet*

Dear Congregants,

I am writing to share the sad news of the death of Susan Seizer, wife of
Catherine Brennan. Susan passed away yesterday evening, Tuesday, September
29, at the age of 67.

*The funeral will be held this Friday, October 2, at 11:00 am at
Congregation Beth Shalom.* For those who can’t join in person, please click
here
<https://us.list-manage.com/sKRqfttFryl?e=95fda423bc&c2id=000036a57b46a13b8c554d040a7a55ef>
to
watch the livestream.

Please consider supporting Catherine and visiting family by signing up to
bring them a meal: click here
<https://us.list-manage.com/ID8yn7Rrbi_?e=95fda423bc&c2id=000036a57b46a13b8c554d040a7a55ef>
to
join the Meal Train. More information will be forthcoming regarding shivah. To
share condolences with the family, you are invited to reach out to
Catherine at choyroy at gmail.com or at 1917 Ruby Lane, Bloomington IN 47401.

Catherine wrote these heartfelt and profound words in memory of Susan:

*I am beyond sad to tell you that my darling wife Susan Seizer died on the
evening of September 29.Susan leaves behind our two sons Keith and Forrest;
her mother Fern; brother Steve and sister-in-law Claudia; Keith’s fiance
Hannah Arroyo; and nephews Daniel, David and Andrew. All are bereft. In her
own life she endured the loss of her father Bob and grandmother Florence.
She is also mourned by my family in Australia.Susan was a teacher and
anthropologist. She taught at Indiana University firstly in the Department
of Communication and Culture and then in the Department of Anthropology.
Before coming to IU she was Chair of the Departments of Anthropology, and
Gender and Women's Studies at Scripps College in Claremont,
California.Susan's first fieldwork took her to Madurai in Tamil Nadu where
she hung out deeply and with great curiosity in the community of Special
Drama actors and actresses. She was a much-admired writer, and her book
"Stigmas of the Tamil Stage" won the Coomarawaswamy Prize awarded by the
Association for Asian Studies. At IU, she took on the deceptively simple
phenomena of humor and laughter. Her fieldwork with a trio of stand-up
comics, including the incomparable Stuart Huff, resulted in the movie "Road
Comics."In 1994, Susan was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. No one should
be under the illusion that Susan regarded her experience with this stupid
disease as a battle. Rather, she kicked this inconvenient mystery to the
curb and proceeded to live her best life. She dealt with its creeping
depredations with curiosity, pragmatism, stoicism, and the occasional flash
of anger mixed with black humor. She loved moving, a legacy of dance her
first profession and love. For a long time, she practiced yoga. She loved
the water where she found the freedom of weightlessness. One of my favorite
memories is of swimming with her at Sunset Beach in Hawaii, surrendering to
the lift and drop of the waves that pushed us gently and inexorably back to
shore. She was a member of the Southeast YMCA here in Bloomington. I am
grateful for the support and friendship she found there.Susan was one of
the Wheelie Women who founded the Mobility Aids Lending Library, which
provides free medical and mobility devices to anyone who needs them. She
was proud of this organization and loved her association with everyone
involved.*

*You can honor Susan's memory by making a contribution either to the
MALL at **mobilityaidslendinglibrary.org*
<https://us.list-manage.com/4YgaxBEiacb?e=95fda423bc&c2id=000036a57b46a13b8c554d040a7a55ef>*
or
to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society at **www.nationalmssociety.org*
<https://us.list-manage.com/aHxcQAqlYPF?e=95fda423bc&c2id=000036a57b46a13b8c554d040a7a55ef>
*.*

May the memory of Susan Seizer be for a blessing: zichronah li-vrachah. May
all who knew Susan, especially Catherine and her family, always remember
time with Susan and the person she was, and may we all live inspired by her
values, and in so doing, may Susan remain present among us.

May we all hold Catherine and her family in our hearts, and may we surround
them with care and love in this difficult time.

Yours,

Rabbi Noach

Congregation Beth Shalom
3750 East Third Street, Bloomington, IN 47401
https://www.bethshalom-bjc.org
<https://us.list-manage.com/aMAaZ1cKsDs?e=95fda423bc&c2id=000036a57b46a13b8c554d040a7a55ef>

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