Susan Mary Shimon returned to the universe on October 31, 2023, at the age of 64. In her life, Susan served every moment that she could and taught others to love one another in an active and compassionate way. Through her decades of work in psychosocial rehabilitation services at Thresholds and on various boards of directors, including those to combat housing insecurity, Susan’s work impacted literally thousands of people.
We remember Susan not only as a servant to the people most in need, but as a beloved and dedicated friend, partner, sister, daughter and aunt. Susan was a world traveler, an advice giver, a bird counter, a music listener, a moon watcher, a believer of yoga, a lover of the lake.
Susan is survived by her parents, Wencel James and Sandra McMahon Shimon, her sisters Kristen Mary and Sandra Louise Shimon, her brothers in law Andrew James Dellamaria and Christian Robert Smith, her best friend and life partner Dennis Hills Cooper, her dearest nephew Archibald Standish Dellamaria, who she loved better than anyone, and friends from all parts of her lived experience from childhood to work to yoga to travel.
To honor Susan’s memory, her family is holding a wake at Peterson-Bassi Funeral Home at 6938 West North Avenue in Chicago on Friday, November 3 from 4 p.m. until 8 p.m. and a funeral mass at Ascension Church at 808 South East Avenue in Oak Park on Saturday, November 4 at 10 a.m. All are welcome. An additional celebration of her life will be held in the future.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Thresholds to support the work to which Susan dedicated her life. (thresholds.org / 4101 N. Ravenswood Avenue, Chicago, IL 60613)
