Susan Elizabeth Saville

On May 7, in her home surrounded by her family and close friends, Susan Saville left this earth for her next big adventure.

Susan was born on May 3, 1953, to Ann and Bill Saville of Ravenscrag, Saskatchewan. She, along with her three brothers David, Jim, and Nick, spent their formative years working on the ranch with their parents and close family friend, Keith Cheram. Living and working on a rather isolated ranch taught Susan many life lessons: the value of hard work; the importance of family and community; and the love of the hills, her home. She remained closely connected to the Cypress Hills no matter where she wandered.

After attending university in Saskatoon, Susan set off on many adventures. She first worked for highways in Swift Current and for the City of Saskatoon. Eventually she found her perfect career match - caring for the ignored and the marginalized. This theme continued in her jobs in Saskatoon, Yellowknife, Fort Smith, and Red Deer. She was always helping someone. No matter how difficult the job, Susan handled it with grace, good humour, and respect for all. Susan was a natural leader who easily motivated staff and clients to do their best with a combination of high standards and a wicked sense of humour. She never gave up when work became difficult and always found a way to solve seemingly impossible problems.

Wherever she went, Susan made forever friends. She was an excellent listener and conversationalist and genuinely cared for her friends in so many ways. Whether it was sitting down to play a quick board game - her favourite was Wingspan - to having a conversation about a serious issue, Susan was always ready to give her time and attention to the people she loved. And there were so many! She was truly loved and supported by her community of friends, especially throughout her illness.

She also loved animals - especially her cats and dogs. She worked as adoption coordinator for Size Small Dog Rescue and united hundreds of dogs with their perfect homes. She adopted two dogs of her own, Benson and Harley, and gave them the best lives dogs could have. She also loved her cats, Tucker, Helen, and Tony, even though they were far from normal. Whenever she loved someone or some animal, she gave it her all.

Susan also loved her books - primarily mysteries (Agatha Christie a favourite) and short stories. Many hours were spent in bookstores looking for elusive volumes from authors she must read! She was also obsessed with bridge and founded two bridge clubs. There was a lot of swearing and laughing in equal measure whenever we played. Meticulous records of games and yearly statistics were kept. We were never surprised when Susan was the overall winner. She was a fierce and competitive player.

Her many friends will miss Susan's sarcastic and wicked sense of humour, her willingness to take on any challenge, her sense of adventure, and her love for us. She was stubborn, particular, and loving in equal measure. She never accepted defeat. She lived and died on her own terms without compromise. And that is why we loved and will continue to love her.

Susan is survived by her brothers, David and Jim. She was predeceased by her parents, Bill and Ann, her brother, Nick, and close family friend, Keith Cheram.

Good-bye for now, Susan. You brought joy and love to so many and we will miss your independent, fierce, and loving spirit. We will take you home to the hills that you loved one last time to unite you with the family and community who loved you.