A memorial service for Susan Allyson Schuyler, 58, will be at 7:15 p.m. Thursday at Maple Grove U.M.C., 7 W. Henderson Road, Columbus.
Susan died Feb. 8, 2009. She was born Aug. 9, 1950, in Newark to the late Walter and Alene (Kearns) Schuyler.
Susan was a graduate of Newark High School, Wittenberg University – Music and Drama in 1972 and OSU College of Education in 1973. She was a travel agent in Columbus for the past 20 years. She was a member of Maple Grove U.M.C. as an active choir member, the ‘Maple Grove Players’ drama group and the PAWS ministry. She was especially interested in dogs.
She is survived by one brother, William Schuyler, of Rutland, Mass.; and cousins in Kentucky and Indiana.
Roger McDonald
My first and last memories of Susan Schuyler are not pleasant. I began to wear eyeglasses in the 4th grade. The first day of school I showed up sporting my new lenses. Susie got one gander and, in that singsongy taunting rhythm that comes naturally to kids, serenaded me with "Roger is a four-eyes, Roger is a four-eyes . . . ." The other little urchins joined her. It seems Susie always wanted to lead the chorus. . . . The phone rang in my little run-down apartment in the East Village. It was late, about midnight. My girlfriend groaned in her sleep, "Who can that be?" It was Susan. I could just as plausibly have predicted a call from the President. "Roger? I got your number from the phonebook the last time I was in New York. Why didn't you send me a card when my father died?" I was now awake sufficiently to grasp who was calling: "Susan, I had no idea he had died--I'm very sorry." But she then lurched on, rambling and sobbing and painfully open, finally confessing she needed some consolation and perhaps I could provide some on her next trip East. She was drinking, depressed, and lonely, but who of us has not made such calls? I brushed her off, probably too brusquely, worried more about the conversation I was about to have after this sad, regrettable call. I may have seen Susan later, sometime in the 90s, but that's the last conversation I clearly recall. Don't get me wrong: sandwiched between these two episodes were all those years when Susan's energy and commitment, her humor and gregariousness, her willingness to pitch in on any conceivable project, her love of music and the arts, were all things to be enjoyed and appreciated by her classmates and friends. I lacked about every humane, generous quality that Susan possessed in spades. A cynic might say I got the last laugh on little Susie Schuyler. Why then do I feel so sad?
Malcolm Montgomery
I need to check in more often than I do -- I could have offered my condolences in a timely manner.I remember Susan for all the good qualities Roger mentioned. I really don't think I could add any except that she threw some great parties. The world is once again less one fine person.
Roger, don't be too hard on yourself. I have a whole drawer full of things I wish I could do over but can't. What I can do is own up to them as you just did, and try not to repeat them.
Ronald Larason
I called her Sky-Bar from our Wilson days, remember "1,2,3,4 SkyBar?" Susie and I had numerous great times together. I spoke to her twice last year about the upcoming reunion. We went to the 25th together as two of the "never-marrieds." She had been doing well until a few years ago when her mother passed, then the Internet put an end to travel agency jobs, and she was at risk of losing her home.Among our abundant good times, I remember her throaty laugh. Together with Molly McFadden, their laugh-a-thons always had everyone rocking along. In our Junior year, we painted Prom decorations in the basement of her father's store downtown, and yes, Malcolm, her parties were among the classier ones during our NHS tenure.
Our times together during the first years of Weathervane Playhouse solidified our friendship and she once helped me learn lines and a song when another actor quit the night before we opened Sound of Music and I was given his role. That's what friends are for--we worked until the wee hours around the piano at her house.
Naturally, I was stunned by the news of her death. Susie made the best out of a dream unfulfilled, since she had tremendous musical skills and talent. She wanted to be an opera singer at one point, and I said, "You go, girl." She opted to stay in Ohio with the folks and commute to Columbus.
I mourn our loss and miss the life-long friendship we had, but value Susie's significance in my life, truly grateful for our good times together and countless memories to reflect upon. Rest in Peace, Susie.
Denise Dishon (Winegardner)
I liked Susie.
She had a wicked sense of humor and was very funny. Her laugh was infectious. I think she could have been a commedian (along with others from our class). She rolled her eyes and made her allusive face.
Her Mom was very cool. Hanging at Susies was Great! She had a great PAD.
I think she felt unappreciated (but get in line). She was a hard worker, a great ally, and had spurts of great enthusiasm. She was also very generous.
Jay and I still celebrate Aug. 9th as the anniversary of our 1st date. I asked him to Susie's 16th birthday party. She had Great Partys! Remember skate board riding down her driveway? I'll bet I wore pegged jeans cut off at the knee and maybe a peter pan collared button down the front blouse or madras (the uniform of the day) May have borrowed something from Barb Massalas. It was 1966 and we were all so young.
Lots of good memories at Susie's house. Molly and Charlie could often be found there and you to Roger.
God Bless and keep you Susie
David Fredrick Smith
Susie was one of the first kids I met when I moved to Newark. I am sorry to hear of her passing and as others have mixed memories of her.