Susan Irene (Ryan) Sousa

WALLINGFORD: Susan Irene Ryan Sousa passed away peacefully on September 10, 2022.  She was in the presence of her son and daughter in the comfort of her Wallingford home.  Born on February 23, 1953, Susan was the daughter of Gerald and Elizabeth (Krosky) Ryan.  She grew up in North Haven, where she attended North Haven High School, and went on to live in Meriden for 19 years before moving to Wallingford, where she spent the rest of her life.

Family was everything to Susan. She was married to the love of her life, Joseph Norman Sousa, for 51 years, until he passed away on November 9, 2021.  She cared for him with selfless devotion for 27 years of their marriage, as he battled Multiple Sclerosis.  While at home, Susan enjoyed baking, planting flowers in her yard, bird watching, and entertaining visits from her children and grandchildren. 

Susan worked hard throughout her life and brought tenacity to every new situation.  In her teens, she volunteered at the New Haven Regional Center, doing clerical work.  She went on to become Executive Secretary at The Orum Silver Company in Meriden, where she worked for 10 years before establishing her own business, Susan's Silver Service.  As an expert in antique silver flatware, she would correspond with people around the country to help families find matching pieces, when a component of a place setting was missing.  She found great joy in helping families complete a set, as she was a person who personally cherished belongings passed down from one generation to another within her family.  Most recently, Susan spent the last 10 years before retirement working at Honeywell Security Systems in North Branford.  Her attention to detail coupled with her extraordinary patience made her a company favorite in handling complex customer service needs.

Susan leaves behind to cherish her memory her son Joseph Ryan Sousa of Naugatuck, daughter-in-law Lisa Beth Sousa, and their two sons Joey and Adam Sousa; her daughter Cheryl Sousa Kim of Southport, son-in-law Min-Seok Kim, and their two sons Jordan and Daniel Kim; her sister Dorothy Podgwaite of Cheshire, and nieces Kim and Kathleen; her brother Frederick Ryan and his wife Sandy of North Haven, and niece Kelly and nephew Rick; her aunt Patricia Krosky of New Haven, her cousin Maralyn Anderson of North Branford, and her cousin and life-long friend, Nancy Kaczynski of Stuart, Florida.

A funeral service will be held on Thursday, September 15, 2022, at 10AM in the chapel of the B.C. Bailey Funeral Home, 273 South Elm Street, Wallingford. Burial at In Memoriam Cemetery will immediately follow. Family and friends may call at the funeral home prior to the service from 8:30AM-10AM. To leave a message of remembrance, or for directions, please visit: www.BaileyCares.com.

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