Susan McConnell Obituary (1964 - 2008)

WINTHROP - Susan Dorothy Armentrout McConnell, 43, passed away as the result of an accident on Monday, April 21, 2008. Susan was born Nov. 3, 1964, in Portland, the daughter of Dorothy Libbey and Charles Armentrout. Sue attended Portland schools, graduating from Deering High School and then as a registered nurse from Syracuse University in New York. Sue spent summers in Winthrop at a family camp on Maranacook Lake and several summers during her teen years at the New England Music Camp in Sidney as a student and then as a counselor. Susan lived in Winthrop for the last several years and was most recently the school nurse for the Winthrop School Department. Prior to that, Susan worked as an emergency room nurse at MaineGeneral Medical Center and also worked at MaineGeneral Rehabilitation and Nursing Care at Gray Birch. Susan had also served as director of Camp Ray of Hope, an organization devoted to support for children who had lost family members. Prior to starting a family, Susan worked for HealthReach as a hospice nurse. She also was an active member of the United Methodist Church in Winthrop. For several years, Susan was a stay-at-home mom after adopting two beautiful girls from Vietnam. Her girls were the light of her life. Sue provided for their needs and happiness with love, energy, compassion and creativity. They had many great times camping, boating, snowmobiling, traveling and also at home cooking and crafting. Sue touched many, many lives with her ability to bring compassion and levity to difficult situations. She will be sadly missed by those who knew her but none more than her family and closest friends. Susan is survived by her parents, Dorothy Libbey, of Farmingdale, and Charles Armentrout, of Readfield; her children, Julie and Sarah McConnell, of Winthrop; a sister and brother-in-law, Mary and James Carr, of Pittsfield; two brothers, John Armentrout and his wife, Nancy, of Farmingdale, and Tom Armentrout, of Atlanta; close friends Tamara Hoke, of Wilton, and Jennifer McConnell, of Winthrop; and her Welsh Corgi, Sunshine. Her nieces and nephews, Luke, Jake, Eliott, Haley and Abbie will miss their witty and lively aunt who kept them laughing and on the go. Sue was always there to lend a hand to someone in need or to help someone who was sick, and had a gift for raising the spirits of everyone around her. She regaled audiences at many charity events and in school health class with her alter ego, Effie Spitfire. She was a special person whose light has been extinguished from our world far too soon. There will be a prayer vigil 7 p.m. on Thursday, April 24, at United Methodist Church, Main Street in Winthrop. A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Friday, April 25, at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church on Route 133 in Winthrop, with pastor Don Hegeman officiating, with a reception following at the parish hall. A time of remembrance specifically designed for children and their families will be held from 6 to 7 p.m. on Monday, April 28, at Norcross Point in Winthrop led by the Rev. Don Hegeman and Cindy Kropp of the Winthrop United Methodist Church and Camp Ray of Hope staff with community resources. In case of rain, the service will be held at Camp Mechuwana, Holmes Road, Winthrop. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Sue's name to Camp Ray of Hope, a program of Hospice Volunteers of Waterville, 304 Main St., P.O. Box 200, Waterville, ME 04903. Arrangements are in the care of Roberts Funeral Home, 62 Bowdoin St., Winthrop. www.khrfuneralhomes.com