Obituary of Susan Gail Leclerc

Chicopee, MA - Susan G. (Swanlund) Leclerc, 82, passed away at home surrounded by her loving family on April 29, 2024. She was born October 25, 1941 in Cranston, Rhode Island, daughter of the late William and Anna (Johnson) Swanlund. Susan grew up in Cranston, Rhode Island and moved to Granby, Massachusetts at the age of nine. Sue graduated from South Hadley High School, class of 1959. She loved dancing and performed with the Elsie Cappel Dance Studio from 1952-1960. Her mother was a wonderful seamstress and made all of her recital costumes. Sue met her husband Rene on a blind date in 1957 and they were married June 25, 1960, the beginning of a beautiful full life. Together they enjoyed square dancing with the Paddy Squares for many years, continuing her love for dancing. They spent many summers with their four children camping and going to the beaches in Rhode Island, vacationing with family and friends in Ogunquit, Maine (Wells Beach and the Marginal Way) and spending time in Sunapee, New Hampshire at “the cottage”. Sue was a member of the Girl Scouts Troop in Granby and later became a leader. She volunteered as a Boy Scout Den Mother and Girl Scout leader when her children were young; she also enjoyed candlepin bowling at the Holyoke Bowl-a-Drome and was the secretary of the Bowling Belle’s. Sue was an avid reader and had a vast collection of Nora Roberts novels, she enjoyed quilting, completing a T-shirt quilt with Rene and their granddaughter Jennifer, she also enjoyed crossword puzzles and casino games on her Kindle and “going south” to the casinos in Connecticut with her husband. Mostly, she loved having family around and spending time with them, especially the apple of her eye and youngest great-grandchild, baby Cameron. Susan was a stay-at-home mother, working part-time at the local Friendly’s restaurant until her children were fully in school. She worked for over 30 years as a unit secretary at Holyoke Medical Center, starting out part-time on weekends which left Rene in charge of meals, tapping into his inner cook. Sue worked in various units at Holyoke Medical Center and was outstanding at her job throughout, leaving her final post in the Short Stay Surgery unit. Susan was fondly known as “Short Stay Sue”. She will be deeply missed by her loving husband of 64 years Rene Leclerc of Chicopee and their four children, Thomas and wife Deb (Guyott) of Ludlow, Mark and wife Lisa (Novinger) of Winter Haven, FL, Michelle and fiancé Eric Freeman of Agawam, and Peter and wife Kelly (Harris) of Holyoke. She also leaves twelve grandchildren, Matthew and wife Sarah (Hollis), Jason and wife Heather (Riley), Jennifer (Leclerc) Samolewicz and husband Pawel, Curtis Leclerc and wife Nicole (Maynard), Tony Leclerc and partner April Cheers, Amy Leclerc, Jeffrey Leclerc, Tyler Leclerc, Katelynn Leclerc, Alexander Richard, Evan Richard, Christina Richard, and nine great-grandchildren. The family would like to take this opportunity to say how grateful they are to Sue’s doctors, nurses and caregivers at Holyoke Medical Center, Lenox Hill Hospital (NYC), Care One in Northampton, Western Mass Elder Care and Holyoke VNA Hospice services. In honor of Sue’s love of the color blue, her family encourages everyone to wear anything blue to her service. Calling hours will be held on Tuesday, May 14th from 4:00-7:00pm at Beers & Story South Hadley Funeral Home. A Memorial service will be Wednesday, May 15th at 11:00am at the United Church of Christ in Granby, MA. Burial will be at the convenience of the family. In lieu of flowers and as an expression of sympathy, memorial contributions may be sent in Sue’s memory to: May Center School for Autism and Developmental Disabilities, 2024 Westover Rd., Chicopee, MA 01022.