Susan Garlick – teacher, sister, aunt, and friend to many – passed away at home on May 2, 2016, after succumbing to carcinoid cancer. She was 68. Susan’s guide dog, Sloan – the smartest, prettiest, most loyal companion ever – was at her side. Susan was born on March 4, 1948, in Ann Arbor, Michigan, to Betty Wise Garlick and F. Lawrence Garlick. Friends learned of Susan’s cherished Michigan roots through her coveted Midwestern family recipes, her description of their large garden plot and roadside produce stand, her deep affection for the family cottage on North Lake, and her joy in carrying on family traditions. As late as last summer, Susan and Sloan made it a priority to attend a family reunion at North Lake, one of Susan’s favorite places on the planet.

Susan began her teaching career in northern Michigan in 1971 after graduating from Western Michigan University. She taught for ten years in Michigan and continued her teaching of Spanish at Vashon High School after moving to the island in 1981. Susan’s students knew her as Senorita Garlick (Ajo), a devoted profesora whose love of Spanish language and culture was contagious. It was not unusual to walk into Susan’s classroom and find a fiesta going on. She shared her enthusiasm for travel by planning and guiding numerous student groups to Mexico, Spain, Guatemala, and Costa Rica. Susan inspired many students to be lifelong travelers; that first trip out of the country often was not the last. After retirement, Susan cultivated her knowledge of, and interest in, all things green. She was something of a botanical wizard, and her garden was featured on the Vashon Island Garden Tour. She particularly loved unusual and elegant leaves and soon began drying them to incorporate into delicate handmade cards, which she sold in shops around Puget Sound. Her creative impulse didn’t end there; she collected beautiful handmade papers and transformed them into lampshades. In fact, Susan appreciated handmade pieces of all sorts, which she collected and artfully displayed. Susan was a sophisticated thinker and also valued being well informed about world events and politics. Among her favorite talk radio journalists was Rachel Maddow, and, because Susan was a night owl, she rarely missed Jon Stewart, whose unique genius she recognized early on. Susan enjoyed discussing politics and participated in this year’s presidential caucus. Susan enjoyed discussing books, as well, and was an active member of a reading group on Vashon.

In 2012, Susan gracefully and with good courage came to terms with her limited vision and pursued and completed a rigorous training with Guide Dogs for the Blind and was paired with her beloved Sloan. As dedicated as Sloan was to Susan, Susan was equally dedicated to honoring the full-time responsibilities that come with being a guide dog owner. It was important to Susan that when she and Sloan left home, they carried themselves with dignity and style.

With hopes of finding a treatment that might lead to a remission of her cancer, Susan was finally scheduled to participate in a clinical trial in Iowa in September. By January, however, Susan learned that her cancer was progressing. Once again, Susan and Sloan faced new challenges together, with the enormous love and support of her siblings. An optimistic person, Susan’s resilience, independence, intelligence, curiosity, and quick wit attracted friends to her throughout her life. Susan’s survivors include Sloan, her guide dog; sisters: Judy Balas (Madison, WI), M.J. Garlick and Bonnie Wegner (Puyallup); and brother Larry Garlick (Jeraldean) of Ft. Benton, MT; nieces: Christi Levenson (Aaron) of Madison, Jenan Palmer (Rob) of Bountiful, UT; nephews: Bob Balas (Kate Sullivan) of Madison, and Matthew Garlick of Logan, UT, as well as several great– nieces and great–nephews. The family wishes to give special thanks to the Vashon Island Hospice team, Neighbor to Neighbor (Vashon Island Senior Center), Guide Dogs for the Blind, and many friends but especially Judy, Julie, Jan, Paula, and Pam. Donations suggested to Guide Dogs for the Blind (Boring, Oregon, campus), Neighbor to Neighbor, or the Vashon Community Scholarship Foundation. A gathering in Susan’s honor will be held on Sunday, May 22, at the Burton Lodge from 3:00 – 5:00.

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