Dr. Susan Sipes
October 18, 2011

Susan Louise Sipes, M.D., 47, died peacefully on Thursday, May 15, 2008 with her family present, in Green Bay, Wisconsin. She was born in Charlottesville, Virginia on April 17, 1961, the daughter of Dr. Donald and Janet Sipes.
Susan is survived by her daughters, Anna DeBruyn and Elizabeth DeBruyn, at home in Green Bay. Her parents Janet and Donald Sipes, M.D.; her brother, Donald (Terri) Sipes II, M.D., and their children, DJ, Alyssa and Isabella, all of Green Bay, Wisconsin, also survive.
Susan graduated from Green Bay Southwest High School in 1979. She received a National Merit Scholarship Award and was a Presidential Scholarship Finalist. She attended Northwestern University in the Six Year Honors Program in Medical Education, and received the James Patten Scholarship, for the best undergraduate preparation for medical school. She received her Doctor of Medicine from Northwestern University where she was a Junior Member and Co-Chairman of Alpha Omega Alpha.
Dr. Sipes pursued further training at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City, IA. While there, she completed her Obstetrics and Gynecology residency, her Maternal-Fetal Medicine Fellowship (Perinatology/High Risk Obstetrics), her clinical Genetics Fellowship, and a Masters Degree of Science in Preventive Medicine. In May of 1988, she received the Purdue Frederick Award from the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology for Excellence in Medical Research.
Susan completed a two-year postdoctoral fellowship in molecular biology at the Alfred I. DuPont Institute in Wilmington, DE. Susan spent the next three years as an Assistant Professor at the Yale University School of Medicine in the Maternal-Fetal Medicine Division (Perinatology) of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. In 1997, she was appointed Medical Director of Perinatology and Genetics at the Perinatal Center at St. Vincent's Hospital in Green Bay. She provided a regional consultation service to physicians and patients throughout Northeastern Wisconsin.
Dr. Sipes' practice philosophy put the patient first in all situations. Her goal for her practice was to provide patients and their referring physicians with the highest quality of perinatology and genetic services available, and to assist the patient in navigating difficult decisions and experiences in as compassionate and informative a manner as possible.
Susan enjoyed her position as a Maternal-Fetal Medicine specialist. She felt blessed that God had given her the talents to work with many special families. She viewed each member of the Maternal-Fetal Medicine team as an important member. Dr. Sipes was instrumental in doing the first intrauterine fetal transfusion in Green Bay. She dedicated her work to the Lord. In times of doubt, she would remind all to read Philippians 4.9. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me- put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. She will be greatly missed.
Susan was an accomplished pianist, a cellist, artist, writer, and loved to sing. During her academic years, she was well published in her research, and authored several professional chapters in textbooks. She often said that when she retired, she would edit articles for a professional publication. During her training years, she spent two summers in Pakistan working at mission hospitals. She volunteered in several inner-city clinics during her educational years.
The joys of Susan's life were her precious daughters, Anna and Eli. She loved them dearly and established strong Christian values and principals for them to follow in their lives. She spent every spare moment that she had with them, and they loved to take vacations and travel together. She was involved in Girl Scouting with them, and served as leader or co-leader for their troups for seven years.
Susan shared her passion for music as a member of Spring Lake Church in Green Bay. She loved leading the children's choir and often accompanied on piano various women's events. Susan will be missed mostly for the ray of God's sunshine that she brought to all of her relationships at Spring Lake Church.
Friends may call from 4:00 to 8:00 P.M. Sunday, May 18, at Lyndahl Funeral Home. The funeral service will take place at 6:30 P.M. on Monday, May 19, at Spring Lake Church, 2240 Klondike Road with the Rev. Paul Garrison officiating. Burial will be in Woodlawn Cemetery. Susan's family would like to thank the many doctors involved in her care, both in Green Bay and Madison, and the caring nurses on St. Vincent's 4th floor ICU, and those on 9th floor Oncology. Thank you to her many friends who supported her during her year and a half of illness, and the many, many who kept her in their prayers and thoughts.
In lieu of flowers, please make a donation in Susan's name to The American Cancer Society, Green Bay's Unity Hospice, or a cancer research institution of your choice.

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