Susan Woolley Hopper

SUSAN WOOLLEY HOPPER

Susan Woolley Hopper of Hamilton, N.Y. passed away on September 18, 2023 at Bassett Medical Center in Cooperstown. Missing her are her beloved husband of 44 years, David, daughter Ann, son-in-law Ben, youngest brother, Doug, sister-in-laws Julie and Margie, and countless family, friends, neighbors, and colleagues across states and continents. 

Born in Buffalo, New York in 1941, Susan lived in nearby Lancaster until 1968 and was a proud New York State native through to the end of her life. The second-youngest of five, Susan knew early on that her life's path was to travel overseas. She lived that dream, embarking on a world-spanning career in the U.S. Foreign Service that took her to Ghana, Yugoslavia, Thailand, Egypt, Germany, the United Arab Emirates, Poland, Sweden, China, India, Australia, and Canada. Along the way, she offered a young and just-arrived Foreign Service Officer, David Hopper, a ride home from the American Consulate in Stuttgart -- and a few years later, gave birth to her favorite child.

After four decades of calm, indefatigable public service, Susan began her glorious retirement in 2001, embarking on a second career of diplomatic representation and, eventually, repatriating with David to the perfect small college town of Hamilton, New York. There, she continued to thrive, doing what she loved: gardening, solving crosswords, travelling, cheering for Colgate sports, supporting the Hamilton community, never sitting still, spoiling Ann's French bulldog, keeping David out of trouble, and cooking the most beautiful meals. An inveterate planner, Susan was making lists and giving orders to the very end. We would have done anything she asked, and we will miss her desperately.  

A Memorial Mass will be celebrated at 9am Wednesday, September 27, 2023 at St. Mary’s Church, 16 Wylie St, Hamilton. Interment is private.

There are no calling hours.

Contributions in Susan’s memory may be made to Doctors Without Borders at https://donate.doctorswithoutborders.org

Arrangements have been entrusted to Burgess & Tedesco Funeral Home, 25 Broad St., Hamilton.

To send a condolence online go to www.burgessandtedescofuneralhomes.com