Wednesday, November 28, 2012

SUSAN R. COMEAU-NGUYEN
4/8/71  - 11/27/2012

Susan R. Comeau-Nguyen, age 41,  peacefully slipped into eternal life on November 27, 2012.   She bravely fought a three year battle with cancer with faith, courage, and determination to overcome.  She died at home, surrounded by her family who with joy and tears released her into the arms of God.   We are thankful that Susan can now R.I.P - “Rejoice in Paradise” for eternity. 
Susan was born in Fairfield, Maine, on April 8, 1971 to Paul and Rebecca Comeau.  She attended schools in Maine and Texas, and graduated from Belfast (Maine) Area High School in 1989.   After a time of traveling and working, she found herself in Colorado Springs where she graduated from the University of Colorado Springs with a Masters in Community Counseling.  She established a counseling practice in which she applied her talents and compassion assisting people to overcome the fears and sorrows that held them back.  She took particular satisfaction in mastering Spanish and being able to assist clients who spoke that language.   Susan was an alumna of Pathways Core Training and derived much satisfaction from that program and the people she encountered through that experience.  Right up until her final moments, she was actively working by arranging for immigration paperwork and soliciting Christmas presents for a disadvantaged family.  She was a constant advocate for the disenfranchised, the victim, and the hurting.  Along the way, she enjoyed living or traveling to Iceland, Germany, Spain, Mexico, and home to Maine as often as possible.  Susan had a thirst for life, a positive attitude, and an unstoppable joy of living that rubbed off on everyone who came in contact with her.  
Susan is survived by her husband, Huy Nguyen of Colorado Springs, and her beloved son, Tan Michael Paul Nguyen, age 3.  She is also survived by her parents of Colorado Springs and Florida;  sister, Tracey Rich and husband Joe, and soon-to-be-born niece Rebecca Ann of Auburn, Maine; her brother, Scott Comeau of Manchester, New Hampshire;  maternal grandparents, Paul and Lucille Audet of Sidney, Maine;  maternal aunts and uncles, and many cousins.  She was predeceased by her grandmother, Elaine Comeau, and beloved uncle, Michael Comeau.  It would be impossible to list the innumerable people that considered Susan a true and constant friend.  Susan was a self-avowed “people collector” and once that relationship was established, it remained for life.  One of the “blessings” of her cancer diagnosis and treatments, she said, were the many new friends that came into her life.  She was a friend, confidant, and counselor to many and her wisdom and love will be missed. 

The family would like to extend our appreciation to Dr. Carmen Matei and her associates, as well as the entire staff of Rocky Mountain Cancer Center for their caring and compassionate expertise.   
In keeping with Susan’s wishes and in lieu of flowers, accounts have been established with several Microloan foundations in Susan’s name.  Microloans are small loans given to selected entrepreneurs in impoverished nations to assist them in financing their plan for ending the cycle of poverty and having a better life.  When the small loans are repaid, the funds are then loaned to others.  In this way, Susan’s legacy of helping will live on indefinitely all over the world and help hard-working people achieve freedom from hunger and want.  Memorial gifts may be directed to Rebecca Comeau, 4801 Daybreak Circle S, Colorado Springs, 80917, these funds will be applied to the “Susan R. Comeau-Nguyen Freedom Fund” through Kiva or Zidisha.  For more information on the impact of microloans, please see www.Zidisha.org.

Susan asked that no services be held.  Instead, friends and family are encouraged to spend an hour or more ‘paying it forward’ and doing an extravagantly generous act of kindness or service either intentional or random  for someone in need, whether stranger or friend.  Please let us know how these acts blessed someone so we can detail the results on Susan’s blog and inspire others to live and give sacrificially as Susan did.  The blog address is www.ourjourneytogether-susan.blogspot.com. 

 

8 comments:

Roxanne Ashey said...

Beautiful Becky, just like your daughter(s)...my prayers, and love to you, Paul, Tan, Huy, Tracy, Joe, and Scott...XO

Stephen Fairley said...

Susan was an inspiration to everyone she met. I was privileged to meet her in junior high when she presented herself as the "Texan" because she had just moved from the state. That sense of humor and never taking herself too seriously would carry her far in life and help her win many friends and fans.



She was an amazing woman with a brilliant mind, a kind heart, and an infectious smile. Susan faced her struggles in life with an optimism and persistence that I’ve rarely encountered. I count myself blessed to have known her as a friend and colleague.



The hundreds of people whose lives she touched and influenced are better off because of her.



Take care Susan. Thanks for living your life as a bright and shining example to us all. May I have the grace and wisdom to live the way you died.


Stephen

Jill said...

What an amazing legacy for Susan to leave and, of course, not surprising! She was a beautiful example of how to 'live like you are dying,' never allowing her own trials to define her. An amazing angel sits in heaven tonight. God's peace and prayers to all of her family. Jill Farmer

Dana De Los Santos said...

To Susan's family, and closest friends, you are all in my prayers.

Anonymous said...

With each blog, story or memory that I have read about Susan I am touched by the outpouring of love from those whose lives and paths crossed Susan's. The tears fall from sorrow but also rejoicing that her life impacted so many. I am inspired by her strength,will power and determination to be a fighter...and am so very honored to have known and be friends with her. Life is indeed fragile, so handle with care. Thank you for being a vessel for the Master's use., a true Scion, and for showing us how to embrace life despite what it may throw us.

You will forever be remembered with fondness.

belladannon said...

so far, I have fulfilled a few things for you Susan. I did not know you personally, but you were an inspiration. I did the following this week. 1. I put $20.00 on GC at target, and handed it to a lady with three little ones walking in as I was walking out. I told her to pay her thankfulness forward to someone else. 2. I paid for 5 cars tolls behind me on the falmouth turnpike. I placed high value coupons That I wasnt going to use on the corresponding products in shaws. so far, its a small list, but I will do something as often as I can during the week. Thank you for sharing your story, and thank you for the reminder of how little things really do have a snowball effect. Bless you, and my prayers to your family during this time.

Jo said...

Yesterday I heard of an eight-month-old who was born with hydrocephalus, blind and with CP because of the pressure that had been on his brain in utero. The family had been told of a program at Duke that is having some good results with stem cells to re-create what was not able to happen before birth, but of course no insurance coverage and the family has already been financially shaken. It seemed like a Susan moment to add some dollars and prayers to this opportunity... a young family backed to a wall but not relinquishing hope.

Roxanne Ashey said...

I have been trying to do some little thing daily, some are very little, like opening doors for strangers and giving them my biggest smile, to paying the local christmas tree man double for my tree and telling him to use the extra for his family. Even when I cant help financially as much as I would like to be able to, I am trying to find creative ways to pay it forward in some manner. I take this as a daily challenge and will continue to. Each time I do something I look up and smile, knowing she is smiling back.