Grace Suzanne was born in St. Louis, Missouri to Florence and Lester Crancer on 2/17/43. “Your mother has more grace wearing a potato sack than most women have in an evening gown” Dad used to say. She was still Grace when she graduated from Principia in ’60, but by graduation from Wellesley College in ’64, she was Suzanne Crancer Byron.
Sue met Alex in Cambridge. She was an editor for the Teamsters under order by family friend Jimmy Hoffa to interview Alex. Mom would say “I knew immediately I was going to marry this man”. She was a sharply dressed, pirate-eyed beauty, he was a dashing Marine who swept her off her feet. “Saved me from a life of mere luxury” Mom would say with her wide, infectious smile. They couldn’t wait to marry, so they eloped.
“I couldn’t not live on the ocean, not since the first time I saw it”, Mom used to say. So they moved to Marion where they raised four children and were happily married for 52 years.
Sue and Alex owned and operated Byron’s Landing, a waterfront landmark in Buzzards Bay. She volunteered for political and humanitarian causes, saved historical buildings, fundraised for vets and managed town parties.
Sue was humble. “Classy” Dad would say because of the way she made people feel. She was a legendary beauty, a bonafide genius and a gifted writer, but she refused to flaunt her many talents.
A voracious reader and a lifelong student, Sue was an expert in antiques and New Bedford whaling history. An eternal optimist, Sue was fun and wickedly funny and always curious. “Only boring people get bored” she used to say.
Sue was a profoundly kind and selfless mother. She believed in romance and added magic daily. Mom was love personified. She knew what was important and in what order. She taught us to seek seemingly impossible solutions to unasked questions.
Sue died as she lived, in charge, with a song in her heart. An indomitable spirit to the end, surrounded by adoring family, gunning for Alex, the love of her life. Sue and Alex got married. “Best decision ever” us kids like to say these days.
Sue died unexpectedly at St. Luke’s Hospital on 12/13/22. A private service was held August 27th in Marion.
Sue is preceded in death by husband Alexander Byron, daughter Florence Marie Byron, brothers Lester Jr. and David Crancer and wife Rosie, sister Mary Horton and niece Faith Horton.
Sue is survived by her children James Allen, Suzanne Elizabeth and Christopher Charles Byron, granddaughter Anthea Tripanier and husband David, great grandchildren, Delilah, David, and Artemis Tripanier, brother Robert Crancer and wife Barbara Hoffa, nephews Michael, David Jr., Jeffrey and Joe Crancer and David Horton, and nieces Holly and Barbara Jo Crancer.
