“Where shall we see a better daughter, or a kinder sister, or a truer friend?”― Jane Austen
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| Darling Daughter, Beloved Wife, Loving Mother |
On April 13, 2015 our beloved Susee Mable passed away after a long battle with Parkinson's disease and a brain tumor. Loving mother to Anil and Suhasini, dedicated wife to Pamula Daniel Anandaraju and darling daughter (Chanty) of the late Pastor M. Benjamin and Victoriamma, Susee was the light of our life—our everything. She exemplified unconditional love, compassion and forgiveness and manifested an eternal joie de vivre and dignity despite the trials she endured. Susee was a midwife and nurse in Andhra Pradesh, India and Toronto, Canada for 35 years—providing hospital and nursing home patients the same kind of comfort and care she gave us at home. The majority of her career in Canada was dedicated to neonatal nursing.
From the start, Susee was a spiritual being who loved to pray, meditate, read, write and sing. As a child, Susee M. Benjamin (as she was then known) could be seen praying under trees and carrying her bible everywhere she went. A pastor's daughter, she was raised in the Adventist faith. A philosopher at heart, she respected every religion and belief system. Always kind, she found inspiration and joy in everything and everyone. A truly jolly spirit. Susee was an exceptional cook and crocheter who loved to laugh—her smile could light up any room. She was an ardent supporter of the Blue Jays and Leafs and was also a puzzles/game show enthusiast. Susee was a profound advocate of social justice and human rights movements and inspired by the vision and politics of Pierre Trudeau, supported the Liberal Party of Canada for over four decades.
In the 90s she discovered the internet and email and in 2004 she continued her online explorations by starting this blog: "Silent Meditations". It was a place where she wrote freely and happily about her beliefs and experiences as a Christian and an open-minded spiritual being. Writing poetry, personal musings and collecting quotations was a habit she engaged in since childhood. Our home is filled with handwritten notebooks of her reflections. Our family will continue to post tributes and some of her writings posthumously, in loving memory.
Susee was truly a lovely soul and it's our sincere pleasure to share with those who knew her and those who did not have the chance to meet her, her thoughts and beliefs—in her own words.
"My wish for you is that you continue. Continue to be who and how you are, to astonish a mean world with your acts of kindness. Continue to allow humor to lighten the burden of your tender heart."—Maya Angelou