Susan Cleary, a longtime community leader and tireless advocate, passed away on December 28, 2024, at the age of 82. Born on October 2, 1942, in Jamaica, Queens, and raised in Chicago where she graduated from the Illinois Institute of Technology, Institute of Design, Susan devoted much of her life to public service and civic engagement. Personally, I was touched by Susan’s desire to participate in a Chazaq/Chaverim Ukrainian refugee drive, bringing essentials from her home for those sheltered in Poland.
A stalwart champion for her neighborhood, Susan served as a member of Community Board 8 in Queens for nearly a quarter century, contributing her time and expertise to the Parks, Zoning, and Transportation Committees. She was deeply passionate about preserving green spaces and was actively involved with the Borough President’s Solid Waste Advisory Board.
As a Kew Gardens Hills resident since moving from Chicago in 1976, Susan’s commitment to her community extended beyond CB8. She served on the 107th Precinct Community Council, was Vice President of the Kew Gardens Hills Tenants Association since 1986, while her husband was president, and was a former vice president of the JFK Regular Democratic Club. Over the years, Susan ran for various elected committee positions, often as the Republican or Conservative candidate. Most recently, in June 2022, she ran for the New York State Committee, where she continued her advocacy for fair housing, responsible zoning, and public safety. Susan heavily advocated against “McMansions,” holding developers accountable to adhere to zoning laws. Along 77th Avenue in front of PS 164, Susan long fought for stop signs and speed bumps.
Professionally, Susan worked in advertising as a vice president and art director at Ted Bates Advertising, managing major accounts such as M&M Mars. She was also the founder of the Hard Drive Café Corp. and an author of a book detailing the history of multiple World’s Fairs.
Susan and her husband, Paul Norwich, dedicated themselves to their community and shared a passion for activism. A strong advocate for animal welfare, she participated in ASPCA initiatives and was a steward for MillionTreesNYC. She and her husband cared for eight feral cats outside and adopted four others. She also worked tirelessly on neighborhood safety measures, successfully campaigning for traffic improvements near local schools. Since this past May, Susan had been on hospice care at Adira Nursing Home in Yonkers.
Though she had no immediate surviving relatives, Susan’s impact on her community will not be forgotten. Her legacy lives on in the countless initiatives she championed and the neighbors she helped along the way.
May her memory be a blessing. It takes more than City Hall to make New York City great; it takes us all, and Susan was one for all!
By Shabsie Saphirstein
