Our beautiful Susan Niebur has left us. Heaven is blessed to have her, but I am sad. I’ve had a lot of time to think about what it would mean when she left us, I tried to prepare myself. I thought about what on earth I could do to honor such a life. A woman who took me under her wing, a friend who I never got a chance to say good bye too. A mother who’s patience and tone of voice when she spoke to her children turned my heart towards God.
Susan loved her children more than anything in the world, they are now in the same club I am in, and it’s not a fun club. As I would lay in bed at night over the last week or so, knowing that at any moment there could be that phone call or email, I found myself thinking always of her boys. Her two beautiful boys. They take such good care of one another and they took such good care of Boss. Beautiful boys. To me, stories of my father are precious jewels I hold on to them like treasures. I can do nothing to heal their pain now, but perhaps we as a group can give them a gift to treasure.
Stories of Susan.
If you have a story of Susan, please share it, either in blog post or email it to me dial m for minky @ gmail dot com and I will collect them all and print them out and make a book to gift to her sons.
No story is too small, any anecdote will do. If she made you laugh over pizza one day, tell that story. If she smiled at you before Blogalicious and you were taken aback by her strength and grace, tell that. If you never met her but read her blog and she made your life better through her words; tell that. I’d like this to be a collection of stories and anecdotes about their beautiful mother. Their father and family will be telling them of her of course, but Susan touched the lives of so many of us. Not all of us will have the chance to tell those amazing boys about their mom in person, but here we can.
AGAIN: no story is too small. If you have a snippet that you don’t think is a blog post feel free to leave it in the comments with your name or email it to me and I will include it.
I will print them out, every one of them even if they are a thousand in number and put them together in a book (or books) for the boys.
Tonight we looked to the heavens, Boss and I and took in the beauty of the full moon. A special “Snow” moon. Rare and brilliant. Just like our Susan. I just know she arranged this.
photo by the lovely and talented @Mammaloves aka Amie Adams
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This is so wonderful. I lost my father two years ago, as an adult, so I have a lifetime of stories and memories and thoughts of him stored up, for when I miss him too much to breathe through it. But it brings me such joy and pride when someone shares one of their own, one that I was not aware of, one that gives me the chance to get to know a little more about him, even though he’s gone. My heart breaks for her boys, to have lost such an amazing mother so soon. But hopefully they’ll be buoyed in the coming years by the memories and stories and thoughts that will be shared with them, from the thousands of people whose lives she touched.
So, so sad about this, and I didn’t really know her. Had never met her, but certainly saw her light.
I can barely breathe thinking about those boys, and was compelled to write even though I knew her less well than many. My post includes a very short anecdote but to me it signifies just how friendly she was.
She will be missed.
Lovely! That’s exactly what I was talking about, those little snippets of day to day life that make up a person. Her boys will love that. Thank you.
My family here don’t understand why I am crying for a woman I never met. She was so real, so genuine, so articulate and intelligent, that I felt I knew her anyway. I will always regret that I never got to meet her. She made me think that maybe I could go back to grad school, and maybe even be a scientist, and have a family. I think she is a wonderful role model for everyone. God bless her and her family and friends, and may all who know her find comfort.
It’s beautiful that you’re doing this wonderful thing for her children. xo
What an absolutely wonderful idea – I’m sure her family will treasure it dearly.
This, MinkyMoo, this?
To beautiful to give words to.
What a gift.
These boys, so young. WIth their mother gone.
She was so kind on line and on twitter.
She was just see through and real.
Not a fake bone in her.
What a loss to so many.
I had a great time talking to Susan in 2007 and blogged about it then.
http://www.genuineblog.com/2007/08/04/blogher-07-helped-me-make-new-friend/
I will mourn her passing.
I was stunned by how grief-stricken I and so many others feel for this woman so many of us knew only through her words.
Then I thought about Susan, who she was and how her soul will linger here on earth, and my surprise melted away with my own tears.
I think of her boys often, too, and my heart breaks for them. This is such a great thing that you’re doing. I have very little to share. I first met Susan at Momz Share in May 2010 and then was incredibly moved when I heard her speak at BlogHer 10. Her strength, grace and words have inspired me since.
I only just learned of her passing. I am so sad. And I’m so sorry for the loss of your friend. {{hugs}}
I will write something up to share. It’s small, but it’s worth it to remind myself of how the quickest meeting meant just so much.
I’m in that club too and it’s a hard club to be a member of. I think this is such a lovely idea of something to do for her kiddos. I know how much it would have meant to me. It might not be right away, but I will get you some stories, because of all the parents in this world, that woman loved her kids like nobody’s business.
I dreamed of Susan all night. I don’t remember all of it, but in one she was flying a fighter jet with her children in it. The jet started to lose power and was going to plummet into the earth, but from talent and the sheer force of will power and mind, she was able to control the jet enough so it glided smoothly into water, where they were safe. It seemed weird at first, but now, I think it was quite fitting.
I only got to meet her the once, at BH10. But she has touched my life in ways so deep, and too numerous to count. And she was a close friend to so many i care about who are grieving tonight. Not fair, NOT FAIR! I rail at the heavens.
I am among many who never got to meet Susan but followed her blog for ages. I’m grief stricken by this loss, and having lost immediate family members to cancer, and as a cancer survivor myself, I feel it keenly. The impact, wisdom, humor and grace she shared with us is priceless. I have wept for her, her family and all who, like I, feel so cheated by cancer taking yet another precious, precious life.
I love it that you are gifting her children with our blogs and thoughts. Thank you.
“Stop All the Clocks” is the first line from a wonderful W. H. Auden poem that expresses this loss so well, and a perfect title for this compassionate project.
What a wonderful idea, I’m sure her son’s will grow to treasure these stories. Their mom was truly an amazing woman.
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Her boys will cherish this gift you are giving them.
Susan struck me as such a beautiful woman… with such strength… and unending grace.
My heart goes out to her family, you, and so many others that feel her loss.
The heavens are luckier than we right now.
xoxo
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I don’t have a blog post for you, but maybe you can add this in.
I have two boys who are each two years younger than Susan’s boys. Over the past few years I have loved reading about all the activities she did with her boys, her love of science and how she passed that love to them. It has inspired me, especially her list of science information for them. She really loved spending time with her kids, and I want them to especially know how much she ENJOYED them, as well as loved them.
One other piece for them to remember was her kindness. She sent me lots of information on IBC, for a distant relative of mine, and said that my relative could contact her to talk, if needed. That was above and beyond, and for that relative, it was incredibly comforting.
Susan will be missed and never forgotten.
It took me a while to figure out what to say. What an amazing woman–and what a lovely project you’re doing for her so-loved boys.
Oh, I forgot to put this part into my post: she once sent me one of the Cat in the Hat science books for kids. My daughter was so delighted that a friend of mine was a scientist! Who once worked at NASA! and loved books and kids! Susan had such a way of sharing her curiosity and enthusiasm, and my daughter still loves to read that book, and fancies herself a scientist. Susan’s not the only influence on that score, but her voice and her kind generosity is an important influence for my girl, and for that, I’m endlessly grateful.
Susan thank you so much for the stories! Thank you for sharing it.