Susanne Short Tompkins Brown of Geneseo, NY/Buffalo, NY/ Matawan, NJ, 78, passed away February 13, 2011 at Highland Hospital in Rochester, NY after a brief illness.

Daughter of Myron Spencer Short and Winifred Maria Allen, Susanne was born in buffalo, NY on November 28, 1932, the youngest of four siblings.

Susanne was predeceased by her beloved husband James L. Brown of Matawan, NJ. She is survived by her five children, S. Wendy Fusco, and husband Paul P. Fusco, John W. Tompkins, Jill C. Tompkins, David S. Tompkins, Allen C. Tompkins and wife Kara K. Tomkins. She was the proud grandmother of 7 grandchildren and 3 great grandchildren.

Susanne, known to her friends as Susie, attended Buffalo Seminary and Russell Sage College. She was first and foremost a loving and devoted mother. She was an avid reader, an outstanding writer of letter, maintaining correspondence in the traditional art of letter writing, and later through email, with all of her children and grandchildren, and her many friends from around the world. Susie had a zest for life, an amazing sense of humor, and never lacked an opinion on an important subject. She was an exceptional cook, an outstanding Bridge player, and loved to work in her garden. For 60 years, Susie maintained an active affiliation with her PEO sisterhood, a Philanthropic Educational Organization that focuses on the advancement of women by raising money to help pay for their educations. She traveled extensively throughout Europe, the Caribbean, Latin America, and the Pacific Rim from Australia to China. Susie will be more than greatly missed by all of us who loved her so much.
In lieu of flowers please make contributions in honor of our mother to PEO, chapter AH, NJ, the National Autism Association, or the SPCA.

A private service will be held at a later date.