Susan Small

Susan Janet Wright Small, 84, died peacefully in her sleep at the Taos Retirement Center on Sunday, February 19, 2012 after struggling for several weeks with pneumonia. Born in Livingston Manor NY, she first visited Taos in 1986 and moved here in 1999. She is preceded in death by her father Daniel Wright, her mother Muriel (Mimi) Davis Wright, her sister Mary, her first husband Arthur Humphreys, her second husband Clifford Small and her sons David and Richard Humphreys. She is survived by brother James (Bill) of Pittsburg, and her son Daniel Humphreys, daughter in law Kate and grandson Christopher, and by her daughter in law Lydia Fox and her grandchildren Matthew, Lauren and Leslie Fox-Humphreys, all of California. Small was an active member of St James Episcopal Church for twenty years. Her personal theology was one of unity; she repeatedly told friends: We are all one. Its all ONE! Yet this abstract-sounding notion translated, in reality, into loving everybody. And that love took positive and practical forms, from her encouraging smile and kind words to her downright refusal to get irritated with anybody. Smalls true gift for showing love was evident on the St. James Pastoral Care Committee. Her unstinting devotion to one dementia patient was so remarkable that the Committee was moved to invent an honor, the Compostela Shell, to be bestowed on a parishioner who has done extraordinary work in the field of pastoral care. Small was the first recipient. Su Small said that she wished to be remembered as someone who loved much and was much loved. A host of friends would say: thats exactly right. A funeral service was held on March 3rd at the St. James Episcopal Church, 208 Camino de Santiago, Taos.