Share Your Thoughts & Memories of Susan

Susan

We are profoundly saddened by the passing of our colleague, mentor, friend, and Adapt’s Chief Human Resources Officer, Susan Jeremiah. It will take a long time for us and others who knew Susan to come to grips with this loss.

Susan was the heart and soul of our company for over 30 years, and she will be greatly missed by all who have walked through our doors. Indeed many of us feel we are here, at least in part, because of Susan. Since joining Adapt in 1988, Susan recruited, hired and mentored hundreds of employees—helping to grow our company from 35 Douglas County employees to almost 400 employees across Adapt’s southern Oregon region.

Susan will be remembered by so many for her selfless generosity and belief in all that is good. To us, her colleagues, she will be remembered as a warm and caring friend, a dedicated mentor who inspired a spirit of gratitude and compassion, and someone who was fiercely loyal to Adapt’s mission and rejoiced in our personal and professional accomplishments.

At times like this we are reminded that we are not just co-workers, but people closely united in a fellowship of service to a mission greater than ourselves. Let many more live like Susan, and let her memory sustain us. 

11 thoughts on “Share Your Thoughts & Memories of Susan

  1. Heather B

    I will mostly remember Susan as a proud mom and grandma. I grew up with Susan’s kids and she was always BEAMING when she was around them, or even at mentioning them. She would somehow always find a way to put something about her kids and/or grandkids into any conversation, meeting, or presentation.
    I’ve played on an adult volleyball team with Susan’s daughter and Susan was always the mom to show up and watch – even though we were adults and the league didn’t necessarily have spectators. She really made an effort to be a part of her children’s lives and loved them so very much.

  2. Maria Elena Bianchi

    I met Susan first when CHA was taken over by Adapt. We had the entry interview and right away she was kind, friendly and thorough. She made me feel immediately welcome and she also shared some personal information at that time. She was very kind and did not hesitate to acknowledge you in the hall, at events, at potlucks. One day she joined a potluck on the 3rd floor and since I was one of the last ones to leave, she sat with me and shared about her father illness and also the story of a very important episode of her life that made her “believe in miracles”. I believed her. I think she knew who I was and she did not hesitate to tell me a story you only share with people that touch your heart. She made me feel special and understand more how special she was and touched my heart too.

  3. Grayson Bly

    Like so many of us, Susan is the reason I am here at Adapt. Having had the opportunity to grow up playing sports with her son Daniel and knowing Susan from an early age, I can honestly say she was a bright spot in my life and everyone else’s that she came in contact with.

    I often hear her voice in the back of my head talking about people “passing the human being test”, and she believed in that wholeheartedly. She lived it, and she aced the human test.

  4. Deanna Mangus

    The first thing I noticed about Susan was her bright smile and happy outlook on life, I knew she had the love of the LORD. Then I saw the necklace you can see in this photo. I LOVED IT SO MUCH, I had to ask here where she found it.

    She told me the amazing story about how it was something she had made, he son bought her a fish necklace, and her diamond in it was an earing of her mother’s that she lost the match to. So to make the necklace super special to her she had them combined. (But anyone that knew Susan, knows, the story was much more detailed than I summarized it)

    I will miss her stories, and to hear the love she has for her family. She was a wonderful person to work for, and even though I only had the opportunity to work with her for a short amount of time, the love that she showed her staff, and the love she had for our Lord, was obvious. I was blessed to have the opportunity to get to know her!

  5. Glenda Lewis

    Susan was one of my favorite Adapt people. Like many others in the company she hired me 13 years ago at the request of the program director Bob Morgan. Susan had a funny reputation here – “Anytime Susan comes, someone is leaving.” While for the most part this was true when she did come she stopped and chatted with each person checking on us to see how we were doing and how we felt about things going on. She was a good listener and easy to talk with. Last time we met she just came to bring me a gift. A “faith” necklace. It is beautiful and means so much to me. We had a chance to talk about our faith and the different exciting things that have happened to us and had several of the same experiences. We were planning to get together after my surgery and spend some more time talking about Jesus and what he means to us. I was very excited. I will miss her greatly. She touched my heart.

  6. Lisa H

    Susan and I worked together really closely during the years I was in the clinical director role– we were often interviewing people or meeting with people around a reported concern. Susan had a ton on her plate, but she always tried to make time if there was something happening that required attention- and she always brought a lot of humor and patience to whatever she was doing. I have so many memories of sitting with her in her office in Jackson Street, here at Madrone, or meeting with her and staff at our various departments. She had this great way of cutting through the details and coming up with a practical solution. I can also remember meeting with her in my office or in Dr. B’s office and you could always hear her coming – heels slapping down the halls, blowing in carrying all stacks of paper, hair swinging, always smiling and ready to get to work. I just miss her so much and I wish I had been able to tell her how much I appreciated her, felt supported by her and how much I learned from her.

  7. Pauline Martel

    Such a dear friend and trusted colleague. Susan I have many fond memories of our times together sharing our joys and troubles. We were a great team. Although your presence may no longer be with us on this earth, you are always in my heart dear friend. I know you are happy to be in the presence of our Blessed Redeemer.

  8. Amy R.

    Susan was more than my boss, she was my lighthouse- a mentor and guide through so many things both professionally and personally. Her smile and laugh were infectious, her stories were pure gold and her insight was always spot on. My favorite memory is hard to nail down because there are so many, but it’s a toss up between her coming to the hospital to meet our son when he was born or when I first saw the video of her singing ‘More Than A Woman’ by the Bee Gees. I don’t think we ever laughed so hard. That’s one thing Susan would never shy away from, making others laugh even at her own expense. Oh, I miss you Susan. I hear you always.

  9. Shelly Metje

    I had the privilege to work with Susan for several years. From the moment we met I knew she was special, just emitting positivity and joy. I can also attest to her love of family, always updating me on her son, daughter and grandchildren. Sharing how she met her husband (it’s a good story) and how much she loved her dad. I got to meet them all through her eyes. She treasured them all! Susan was a ray of sunshine and you couldn’t help but be happy in her presence. I will miss Susan, but I will never forget her contribution and difference in my life. Thank you Susan, you are loved!

  10. Kelsey Wood

    Oh to see her smile on any image left behind! Susan truly loved people, and you knew it. Along with a heart of gold, she consistently delivering the highest quality of standards and morals to her family, her employer, her friends and her church.

    Having been blessed to be like a brother, my life has a little less shining light with her passing, though grateful to know we will be reunited in Christ when it’s my turn.

    Until then Susan; hele me ke akua!

  11. Angelica Fabela

    I am her niece and she was truly one of my most prized persons her husband and I are very upset about her passing away but we both know that she is now in a better place and I do truly miss her and I would do anything to have her back or to see her once more and I hope I will see her again soon but for now may she rest happily with her father mother and brother and let them all rest in peace

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