Obituary of Susan Louise Bair

Susan Louise (Smith) Bair, age 70, passed away of acute respiratory failure brought on by COVID-19 on Wednesday, December 29, 2021 at Memorial Hospital North in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Susan was born on July 7, 1951 to John George Smith and Alice Olga (Neubauer) Smith in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania where she had a happy childhood. Susan attended Drexel University where she met her husband, Clayton Harvey Bair, over a chess game. They married on June 27, 1970.

Susan and Clayton ultimately settled and raised their family in Newport News, Virginia. Susan faced and survived many challenges in her life including the early loss of her husband, a life-long struggle with schizophrenia, and Alzheimer’s disease. After the death of her husband of 22 years, Susan enjoyed a quiet life in Virginia. Then in 2016 Susan moved to Colorado Springs where she made friends, played bingo and spent holidays with extended family while living at View Pointe Senior Living Community. Susan lived the last two years of her life with her daughter and grandchildren, spent quality time with her sister-in-law Sara, and enjoyed watching the deer.

Susan is survived by her three daughters: Lisa Jean Bair and husband Eric Weisel of Norfolk, VA, Valerie Bair Paulson and husband Keith Paulson of Colorado Springs, CO, and Jennifer Sue Bailey and husband Carey Bailey of Culpeper, VA; by her six grandchildren: Elizabeth, Emerson, Clayton, Linnea, Ayla and Amelia; along with her brothers Jack Smith and Jeffery Smith, her sister Ruth Mansbach, and sisters-in-law Janet Noel and Sara Sanner, as well as many nieces and nephews.

A private memorial will be held in Susan’s honor on Saturday, February 5th. Contact Valerie at vb_paulson@mac.com for information.

Susan’s ashes will be interred with her husband Clayton at Hampton Memorial Gardens in Hampton, Virginia in a private ceremony on Wednesday, March 2nd, 2022 at 2:00pm.

In lieu of flowers, please make a memorial donation in honor of Susan L. Bair to the Brain and Behavior Research Foundation at https://bbrfoundation.donordrive.com/campaign/Susan-L--Bair