I’ve started writing this column and then erased it over and over again during the past couple of weeks. It’s been difficult to find the right words. Many of you know that we recently lost Susan Noack, and undoubtedly many of you have read one or more of the tributes shared on social media. If you’ve been reading this column for any length of time, you probably recognize her name. I could easily fill this column with a list of committees and positions Susan has held in Tualatin, but those are easily found elsewhere. Today, I’m thinking about what she meant to all of Tualatin’s seniors.
Susan wrote the Aging in Place column by herself for years and years. Every month, another column. That meant coming up with a topic, doing the research, and then sitting down and writing it. She was always looking for something new, something she could share that might help all of us. Susan was an icon in this town. She was important, and she gave her time selflessly. I doubt she had any idea just how much she meant to so many people. She was an advocate for the town of Tualatin, but she was an even stronger advocate for our seniors. I have an old text on my phone from Susan, and she had written, “My goal has always been to acknowledge, recognize, and appreciate seniors.” I think those words say a lot about Susan and what mattered to her.
On a personal level, Susan was my friend, my encourager, and my mentor. If I had a question about a senior-related topic, I knew who to turn to. She encouraged me to write this column with her. When she became ill, she asked me to stand in for her as Chair of the Aging Task Force. She put her faith in me, just as I had put my faith in her during the years we worked together. There was so much more that I wanted her to teach me.
Susan taught all of us that anyone can step up and become an advocate. She had a way of pulling people into that world. If you feel inspired by her example, ask yourself what your place might be. You can even be an advocate by simply contacting the Aging Task Force with ideas about how to improve the lives of our seniors.
Those of you who read Susan’s columns will miss her wisdom, her wit, and her humor. I will miss those things, too. But most of all, I’ll miss Susan. Thank you, Susan, for a life well lived, for everything you gave to this community, and for making the lives of so many others better.
