“Crying is a biological mechanism for your body to release from an overwhelming emotion, whether this is hysterical laughter or intense sadness.” ~ the Internet

Susan Malinda Sweeney. Susy. Sus. The GOAT. While we’ve all had tears of intense sadness the last couple of days, I’m certain that everyone who knew Susy had far more tears of hysterical laughter over the years. Susy has and always will have a special place in my heart -- my heart (as I’m sure everyone’s did) when I knew I was going to get to have a brunch, dinner, outing, or better yet an extended trip or even just a quick cocktail with Sus. Everyone felt at home with Susy and could spend hours sitting, chatting, and laughing with her.

I was lucky enough to experience Susy’s love and laughter the majority of my life, but it didn’t matter if you knew her for 40 years or 40 minutes she was going to put a smile on your face. Some of us have known her for years as she carted us from one after school event to the next in the “woody wagon” with the back hatch held shut with a jump rope. Some played the slots or rolled the dice with her in the casinos, and while she loved her slots nothing was better than the craps table at Harrah’s chanting “Susy, Susy”. While others yet may have only shared a cocktail, a story, and a laugh. No matter the time you spent with her, it was special. Those that didn’t have the opportunity to meet Susy in-person, you have experienced her through Amy, as she is a mini-Sus in so many ways whether measuring things in “tinches”, parading around in the latest Juicy jump-suit, or flashing that vibrant smile that pulls you in.

Sus battled Cancer like a champ and we are so lucky for the extra time with her, but I will always remember her as the beautiful woman who’s hair never “looked a mess” no matter how many times she claimed otherwise. Wherever she went she had a good time. She loved to travel with John and found the beauty and the fun everywhere he took her whether it was an anniversary trip to San Francisco, pounding the sand on her hours long beach walks in Florida, sneaking down to the slots early morning in Vegas to “watch the sunrise”, or trips to New York where she and Amy each “accidentally” ordered the steak Oscar with an entire lobster tail on it as John rolled his eyes. Susy remained forever young at heart, this I know because into her sixties she would share videos of John, her and friends having roller chair races down hotel hallways giggling as they crashed into the walls. I can only hope to have as much fun in life as I know she had.

While it may be overused in some cases, I am confident in saying Susy truly was one of a kind and while we will all miss her smile and warm embrace immensely, we can find comfort in knowing that the heavens have a new lady luck on their hands. I know Susy would encourage us to continue the tears of hysterical laughter rather than intense sadness. As we move forward, always remembering to clink our glasses in a “cheers” to Sus, we will know she is watching over us when those dice hit a hard 10, those cherries line-up on the slots, a Stones song comes on unexpectedly, or a honking laugh can be heard in the distance.