Susan Kinzer-Ellington

Susan Hankins Kinzer-Ellington

1938 – 2025

Susan Hankins Kinzer-Ellington passed away in her Santa Fe home in February of 2025. She was 86. All of those who worked with her, befriended her, and took care of her during her final years say that she was the kindest, sweetest and most generous person they have ever met.

Susan graduated from Lawton High School in 1956. She was a member of the National Forensic League, the National Honor Society, the National Thespian Society, Junior Play Production Staff, All School Production Staff, Who’s Who Among High School Students, and Future Homemakers of America. During high school, she helped out at her parents’ business, Hankin’s Studio and Camera Shop, and spent many evenings at Wayne’s Drive In.

Susan married Grant Kinzer in 1957, and she worked as a legal secretary while Grant worked on his Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctorate degrees. The couple had two children, Jeff and Kathrin, and they moved to Las Cruces, New Mexico in 1964. They divorced in 1976.

Susan worked as a legal secretary in the 1960’s and at New Mexico State University in the 1970’s and 1980’s. She had one of the first home computers available in the 1970’s and established a typing and publication business called Magic Fingers Word Processing. Through that business she typed, edited and prepared manuscripts of the theses and research papers of many of the University’s graduate students and scientists. She also typed many books about the history of southern New Mexico. Whether it was a natural gift or learned from her parents, Susan was an excellent photographer. She became the family’s photographic historian, collecting and preserving family photographs taken in rural Oklahoma in the 1800’s and early 1900’s.

Susan relocated to Los Alamos in the late 1980’s and worked for Los Alamos National Labs as a technical writer and editor. She married Newby Ellington in 1991 and together they enjoyed gardening, traveling, and spoiling their grandchildren. After Newby passed away in 2013--much too soon--Susan moved to Santa Fe to be closer to her daughter.

In the later years of her life, Susan struggled with dementia, a truly cruel thief that steals memory, language, and eventually life. Throughout her battle and to the very end, she remained kind, sweet, and generous, her true loving nature miraculously shining through despite her condition. She always offered a smile and gave thanks for all that she had.

Susan is preceded in death by her parents, Veda Thompson Hankins and Ned Hankins; her sister Dorothy (Duffy) Hankins Gilbert; and, her husband, Newby G. Ellington. She is survived by her children Jeff Kinzer (wife Emilia Kinzer) and their children Wyatt, Levi, and Lane Kinzer; Kathrin Kinzer-Ellington (husband Glenn Ellington) and their children, Taylor, Layton, and Alyx Ellington; and, Duffy’s children, Kara Gilbert Fehring (husband Charles) and Kelly Gilbert Hall.

The family is thankful for the deep care, devotion, and dedication of Henrietta Larkin, Susan’s main caregiver and companion for the last seven years of her life. The family also is thankful for the devotion of Susan’s other caregivers Christina, Angelique, Ana, Pat, Lizz, Martha, Julianna, Stephanie, Loraine, Roshanna, Pam and many others.

We will all miss Susan’s bright smile. She was like sunshine.