Obituary of Susan Bean

On Saturday, November 3, 2012, Sue Bean passed away peacefully in her Glastonbury home following a valiant eight-month struggle with cancer. A 53-year resident of Glastonbury, Sue was born in Oakland, CA on January 7, 1935 to Joseph S. and Alberta C. Fairchild. Early in her childhood, Sue and her sister Joy moved with their family to Longmeadow, MA, where Sue graduated from the MacDuffie School. She then began a long and happy relationship with Colby College in Waterville, ME, graduating from the school with a degree in Child Psychology in 1957. Following graduation, Sue cultivated her passion for raising children through her work at the Newington Children's Hospital. On June 27, 1959, Sue married Robert J. "Bob" Bean of Portland, ME, and then began her greatest legacy: raising three children. Her passion for growing a family was everywhere in evidence, through countless trips to and from school activities, annual vacations at her cozy summer cottage in Kennebunkport, ME, and the simple pleasure of a delicious, home-cooked meal at the end of a long day. Likewise, her long tenure as a member of the Congregational Church of South Glastonbury provided her great personal strength, and enabled her to continue that legacy through the growth of four grand-children. Sue's love for children carried well beyond her own family. For many years she worked for and supported Child and Family Services of Connecticut. With her own children on to careers and families of their own, she served several years as a teacher with the YMCA Latch-Key program at Buttonball School. Her continued ties to Colby College were evidenced in her service as a Trustee of the school, and receipt of an honorary Master's degree. Sue will always be remembered for the love she shared boundlessly with family and friends, and the dignity with which she lived her life. She is survived by her husband Bob, her children David Bean and Kristin Bean of San Diego, CA, and Gretchen Lurie of Pasadena, CA, her sister, Joy Fairchild Doyle of Palo Alto, CA, and four grandchildren: LTJG Travis Bean, USN of Groton, CT; Tucker Bean of Laramie, WY, and Hunter and Paige C. Lurie of Pasadena, CA. A memorial service of Sue's life will be celebrated on Thursday Nov. 8, at 11am in the Congregational Church of South Glastonbury. A private interment will be conducted in Green Cemetery, Glastonbury. Friends may call at the Mulryan Funeral Home, 725 Hebron Ave., Glastonbury on Wednesday Nov. 7 from 4-7pm. Memorial contributions may be made to the Connecticut Humane Society, 701 Russell Rd., Newington, CT. 06111. To share a memory please visit www.mulryanfh.com.