Tributes to Stowmarket teacher and adventurer Susan Lawson

Former students of Combs Middle School will likely remember Susan Lawson, for she taught at the school for many years.

A born adventurer, Susan was someone who made the most of every moment of every day.

Susan was born on in Stowmarket September 13, 1947, to Alfred and Vera Greengrass.

She and her elder sister, Pat, grew up in Regent Street, and later, Susan would tell her own children about the fun she and her sister got up to – seeing the Northern Lights, visiting their grandparents in Onehouse to watch their television, and having tin baths on a Friday night in front of the fire.

A proud tomboy, Susan would spend her days playing on her bicycle and falling out of trees.

Her knees were often bruised from falling through her father’s cold frame on several occasions, having climbed up to try to reach the blackberries that grew behind.

One of their neighbours had a pigsty, and Susan and her family would raise the runts of the litters.

Susan recalled that the piglets were so tame, they would play inside the house and walk with Susan and Pat when they went to meet their father from work.

Like her sister, Susan studied to become teacher, graduating from Leicester University in 1971.

She was one of the first teachers to join the newly-created Combs Middle School, and on her retirement in 2007, was praised as being one of the school’s founding members.

Susan enjoyed being able to nurture her students, worked hard to help them take the first steps along the paths which would set them up for life.

She taught a wide variety of subjects, which included coordinating PSHE and Child Protection, and being Head of Year, and the unofficial title of “everyone’s favourite teacher”.

Susan pictured as a young woman. (Image: Family of Susan Lawson) Susan with her children, Mark, Lisa and Richard. (Image: Family of Susan Lawson)

Whilst at university, Susan had met John Spearman. They married in 1970, and settled in Creeting St Peter, in a home John’s family had built for them.

Their first son, Richard, arrived in 1974, followed by Mark in 1979 and Lisa in 1981.

The three siblings look back fondly on the happy times they shared as children, particularly their summer holidays.

With both parents being teachers, the family could spend weeks at a time having adventures all over Europe, windsurfing, canoeing and skiing, exploring the gorges of the Ardèche and Tarn.

Susan loved to travel and had a unique way of remembering each new place; being a keen gardener, any interesting plants and flowers she came across would mysteriously make their way home with her, wrapped in a damp cloth, to be cultivated in her garden at home.

In 1999, Susan married Charlie Lawson, she and John having separated some years previously.

She and Charlie tied the knot in Vermont, New England, and would spend the next 25 years travelling the world together – California, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Norway, Canada, Australia and New Zealand were just a few of the countries they visited together.

Susan also felt it was important to give back to her community. She enjoyed being part of the WI, and served for many years as a councillor on Creeting St Peter parish council.

Susan was an avid gardener, and liked to bring home cuttings from the plants she found on her travels. (Image: Family of Susan Lawson) Susan on her and Charlie's wedding day in 1999. (Image: Family of Susan Lawson) Susan surrounded by her family. (Image: Family of Susan Lawson) Susan's children said that she was an 'absolute fighter'. (Image: Family of Susan Lawson)

Susan also never lost her determined spirit. She had injured her back while teaching and was told she might need a wheelchair in later life, but was adamant that this would not put paid to her adventures.

She had also lived with cancer for many years, having been diagnosed with breast cancer in the early 2000s. When the cancer returned more recently, her children said that Susan remained adamant that she would make the most of every day.

“It was very hard to get her to actually sit down and rest,” said Lisa. “She wouldn’t let anything stop her. She was determined that she was going to try and do as much as she possibly could.”

Mark agreed. “She was an absolute fighter,” he said.

Susan passed away on July 10, aged 76. She is survived by her three children and her five grandchildren, Reuben, Fletcher, Orla, Max and Oscar.