– Submitted by Elizabeth Drake, professor of Internet Services Technology
On Dec. 7, we lost a good friend. Suzon Peterson passed away that night. The ITE area, the Health Sciences area and ITS mourn her passing; she worked for all of us. Suzon’s passing has left a large dark hole in the lives of many.
Suzon began teaching as an adjunct in ITE 12 years ago. With a master’s degree in zoology, she added anatomy and physiology to her course load. She was creative and bright and had an intense attention to detail. She had an unwavering respect for both the students and the college and was meticulous in her course preparations and presentations. She refused to be assigned classes without first shadowing for an entire term even though she held degrees in the area. She worried and fretted over every student. She had an unmatched wry sense of humor that often made our day.
Suzon lived in a rustic farmhouse sitting on wooded acres of land, where she cared for about 20 horses, seven dogs and numerous cats. These were not race horses or show dogs. People dropped strays or old horses—any unwanted creatures—at Suzon’s gate and she took them in. She wanted nothing in return. She loved and cared for the strays and the unloved. That is what made her wondrous.
We mourn her passing and we are joined by many of us at Santa Fe College who are enriched from having worked with her and from being her friend. We are in awe of someone who lived as selflessly as Suzon Peterson and we honor her memory.