Susan Marie Merrell was a force of nature in the truest sense: strong, self-reliant, and unbroken by whatever life put in her path. Born in Cranston, Rhode Island, she carried with her the particular grit of her origins, and over the course of her life she made it entirely her own.

Those who knew her well understood that her resilience wasn't just toughness; it was a toughness that only comes from living through things that would have broken others. She brought both a sharp mind and a steady hand to everything she did. With a master's degree in psychology, she understood people deeply. She understood what drove them, what wounded them, what made them laugh. And laugh they did, because humor was her love language. In her presence, the mood lifted. She had a gift for bringing lightness to even the heaviest moments.

She was fiercely proud of building something tangible in the world: a woman-run carpentry business in the mountains of Western North Carolina. In a field not known for making space for women, she made her own.

Susan spent more than thirty years in Florida, where the ocean became a constant companion and a love she never let go of. It was there that her daughter, Casey, was born and raised. Florida would also bring her Mark Kundrat, the life partner she would come to cherish deeply. In time, she found her way to the Blue Ridge Mountains of Canton, North Carolina, where she made her home and tended her pollinator garden on her deck, coaxing life and color from the smallest of things, patient and intentional, nurturing what others might overlook. Rarely far from her side were her two beloved dogs, Dude and Lupe, her constant shadows and faithful companions.

She passed peacefully in her sleep on May 13th, 2026 in that mountain home she loved. She is survived by her daughter, Casey, her life partner, Mark Kundrat, and her cherished dogs, Dude and Lupe. A celebration of life will be held at a date yet to be determined.