Susan Elsa Connors

Surrounded by her family, Susan Elsa Connors died peacefully on Friday, July 15. Susan was a devoted mother and wife, a thoughtful social worker, therapist, teacher and a compassionate and generous confidante to countless friends and relatives. Susan dedicated her life to helping others, and everyone who met Susan loved her. Her intellect and curiosity was matched only by her warmth and strength of heart. Both her immediate and extended family received the benefit of her friendship, love, and untiring devotion. For those she touched, there will be a significant absence in their lives. Born Susan Elsa Lynch in Ottawa, Canada, her parents were H.A. Wilfred Lynch and Elsie Marjorie Lynch (née Sundberg). She lived in Ottawa until moving to Racine, WI with her family at the age of nine. She attended the University of Wisconsin, Madison for a B.A. in French Literature where she met her future husband of 45 years, James Connors, in the student registration line. At that time he proclaimed that they would be married some day. She received a M.A. in French Literature from Penn State in 1966 and an M.S.S.W in Social Work from the University of Wisconsin in 1973. She also worked on h...[more]

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r PhD in psychology at the University of Illinois, all the while working to support herself. Susan and Jim were indeed married in 1971 and raised two extraordinary children. Amidst raising her family, Susan established an impressive professional career as a social worker, mental health therapist and a psychotherapist. She held positions at the University Of Wisconsin Medical School Department Of Psychiatry, the Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, Catholic Charities, and at many other social service agencies that required specialized help in mental health and clinical social work. Susan was an accomplished and published writer and a prolific reader. She loved to travel, knit, spend time outdoors and volunteer. She is survived by her husband James, her children Brennan (Madison, WI) and Elenora (Washington DC), son-in-law Ankit Desai, grandson Hudson Desai, and four siblings, Karin Lynch (Ottawa, ON), Brian Lynch (Ellijay, GA), Christopher Lynch (Amherst, MA), and Bradley Lynch (Chicago, IL). A memorial will be held graveside at the Forest Hill Cemetery at 2:30pm on Thursday, July 21st with a reception immediately following at the Connors family residence. The family extends special thanks to Agrace Hospice for their compassionate care during her final days. Cress Funeral & Cremation Service 3610 Speedway Road, Madison 608-238-3434