It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Susan C. Spann, of St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands. Susan passed away on Tuesday, June 13, at the age of 81, after a five-year battle with medical challenges in Boca Raton, Fla. Final arrangements were conducted by the Kraeer-Becker Funeral Home in Deerfield Beach, Fla., on June 20. (Nov. 10, 1941 to June 13, 2023).
Susan was born in Buffalo, N.Y., on Nov. 10, 1941, to Mildred and Lawrence Spann. As a young adult, Susan moved to St. Thomas and studied at the College of the Virgin Islands, now known as the University of the Virgin Islands, where she obtained her bachelor’s degree. Susan loved St. Thomas and decided to make it her home along with her life Partner Cyril Laplace, whom she met in 1968. Sadly, Cyril predeceased Susan on Oct. 19, 2021.
After graduation, Susan became a social studies teacher at Charlotte Amalie High School, on St. Thomas for over three decades, where she was affectionately known to many students as Ms. Spann. Susan purchased and took up residence at the Mahogany Run Condominium Association, where she was a member of the board for many years up until 2018 when she had to travel to the U.S. for medical reasons. Susan was known by the employees of Mahogany Run as everybody’s godmother.
Never a Christmas would go by that Susan did not personally put together a personalized card, a plant and a gift bag filled with trinkets and ornaments as well as useful gadgets she had thoughtfully ordered in advance. For Mahogany Run, she fought fiercely along with others at various government agencies, the legislature and the developers to protect the community she had called home for decades and had loved with all her heart. A generous
s lady, Susan was also well known for handing out plates of Christmas goodies, including chocolates and cookies, to many of her friends and acquaintances, including the U.S. Post Office staff, staff at Medical Arts complex, staff at the various offices at Haven Site and many more every Christmas season, until she left in 2018.
Susan is mourned by her sister, Sally Brinkworth; brother, Lawrence Spann; cousins: Bob Keefe and the Laplace family on St. Thomas.
Her close family friends include Jennifer Ledee, Tony Ledee, Calvin Ledee, Christopher Ledee, Angela Callwood, Marlon Callwood, Maria Theresa Phillips, Dion Phillips, Ruth Ann Hunt, Jimmy Hunt, Karen Lendheart, Barbara Varley, Barbara Carlson, Carrie Todman, Marielle Brandon, the Social Studies Department of Charlotte Amalie High School, special employees and former board members of the Mahogany Run Condominium Association, longtime residents of Mahogany Run, and friends from the Sts. Peter and Paul Cathedral, and many others too numerous to mention.
We express our gratitude to all for their outpouring of love and condolences that have been extended to the family and friends.
A special celebration of life for Susan Spann on St. Thomas is being planned and will be announced at a later date.
