Susan Ryder Skaggs passed away at Friends Care Center in Yellow Springs Ohio on Aug. 20, 2018, at age 80. The cause of death was cancer. Preceding her in death were her mother, Florence Ryder; father, Mel Ryder; brothers, William Donnelly and Richard Donnelly; sisters Mary Jane (Jenny) Belber, Sister Ann Donnelly and Molly Ryder; and former husband, Julian Skaggs. She is survived by her children, Martha Worrell, Sarah Skaggs, Kirsten Skaggs, Lucas Skaggs and John Skaggs; sons-in-law Paul Comstock and Christopher Worrell; daughter-in-law Antonia Eberhart; grandchildren Ryder Comstock, Robert Worrell, Louis Skaggs, Franklin Skaggs, and an as-yet-unnamed grandson, due to be born in mid-September. Also surviving Sue are brothers-in-law Henry Belber  Geoffrey Skaggs and William Mayfield; sisters-in-law Suzanne Skaggs, Martha Craver and Elizabeth Bridgeman; and numerous nieces and nephews and grand-nieces and grand-nephews.

Sue was a philanthropist, sometimes on a large scale, who also saw the value of small-scale contributions, such as a bike for a child, a basketball left by a parking-lot hoop, instruments for a struggling public school music program or funding a session at summer camp for a child who would benefit from broadened horizons.  

After she retired from working as a nurse, Sue spent some very happy years in Bisbee, Ariz., where she threw herself into opportunities to assist her new home town. She was instrumental in opening a Boys and Girls Club in Bisbee, and also a shelter and support organization for the homeless and food-insecure in Bisbee called the Bisbee Coalition for the Homeless. 

Sue spent her final years in Yellow Springs. During her time in Ohio, she volunteered at the St. Vincent de Paul shelter in Dayton, sewed for the local chapter of Days For Girls and kindly attended numerous sporting events, youth drama presentations and musical concerts featuring her two oldest grandchildren. She was passionate about travel, and went on several service trips with Habitat for Humanity, and when she became too old to build houses, enjoyed traveling with the organization Road Scholar. She generously treated her children and grandchildren to several fantastic travel experiences as well. When she was not on the road, Mom enjoyed breakfast at Norah’s cafe, exercise with the local Silver Sneakers chapter and gifting her friends and neighbors with eggs from her backyard chicken coop. Her final act of generosity was the donation of her body to the Boonshoft School of Medicine at Wright State University.

Sue’s children wish to express their deep gratitude to the wonderful staff at Friends, Hospice of Dayton, Julie McCowan, Amanda Banaszak and Elizabeth Bridgeman for their compassionate and practical assistance during our mom’s illness.

Per Sue’s wishes, there will be no service. Anyone wishing to honor her memory may make a donation to the Boys and Girls Club of Bisbee, the Bisbee Coalition for the Homeless, St. Vincent de Paul in Dayton, Ohio, or the charity of your choice.