Susan H. Redfield
- On June 14, 2024
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Susan H. Redfield passed away peacefully at her home in Friendship Village on June 13, 2024 at age 91 after being in hospice care. Sue was born on June 5, 1933 in Cincinnati, OH, the first of two children to Ruth and William Hammelrath. She was preceded in death by her parents and brother Smith Hammelrath. She is survived by her husband John A. Redfield, Pittsburgh; a son John S. Redfield and wife Cynthia Gerall of Houston, TX; a daughter Anne Redfield Dale and her husband Timothy Dale of Mercer, PA; a daughter Elizabeth Redfield and her husband Thomas Banse of Olympia, WA; three grandsons, John C. Redfield, William Redfield, and Adam Dale; and two great grandchildren.
Sue grew up in College Hill of Cincinnati where she met her husband-to-be in first grade. John was a new student from New Jersey and the teacher asked Sue, one of her best handwriting students, to teach John cursive handwriting. Sue and John’s long-lasting friendship had only just begun.
Sue graduated from Hughes High School, Cincinnati, in 1951. She completed her bachelor’s degree in English at the University of Cincinnati in 1954 and in August of that year, Sue and John were married. During their first year of marriage, John completed his undergraduate degree at UC while Sue worked as a librarian for Procter and Gamble. Their first child was born after they had moved to Aberdeen MD when John served in the Army. After his Army service, they moved to Pittsburgh where they eventually bought their first home in Bethel Park. While raising their family, Sue was active in the school and with scouting. She joined the choir at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Upper St. Clair and sang with the choir for 48 years. Sue made many friends in the choir and enjoyed the warmth of the group. Sue served as an elder of the church and later chaired a search committee to hire a new organist for the church. Sue successfully challenged the congregation to fund a new pipe organ for the recently hired organist.
After her eldest child went to college, Sue went back to college to become a reading specialist. She graduated from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh with a masters degree in education (1978) and another masters in teaching remedial reading (1979). Sue taught in the Bethel Park school district for two years and in Peters Township for three years before starting her own tutoring clinic for reading in her home.
Sue was on the Town Hall South organizing committee for six years and was chairman of the group for four years. During this time, the committee was able to bring big names to the South Hills such as the 47th Speaker of the House, Tip O’Neill.
Sue was a caring person, always thinking about the welfare of others. She enjoyed her book club, gardening, cooking, and spending time with her family. At Friendship Village, she was involved in various groups, including the Monarch Butterfly Garden Project which was formally recognized by the Monarch Watch organization at Waystation #43663 for protection of the endangered butterflies.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Westminster Presbyterian Church in Upper St. Clair or the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank. A memorial service at Westminster Presbyterian Church is being planned for a later date.
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