Susanne Gale Barr Abbass, 75, was known for her gregarious nature, her big smile, her boundless energy, effortless talent for so very many things and her absolute dedication to her family, friends and community, near and far. After defying the odds of the rare, diabolical neurological condition, Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP), that has been tormenting her since 2004, Sue died restfully and gently Sunday morning after a two week battle with brutal PSP-related complications.
Born in Baldwinsville, NY to Rita Gale and James Barr in 1941, Sue moved with her parents as far away as Massachusetts, as her father's job with International Harvester dictated, until his death when she was 14 years old. Extremely close with her Mother, Sue included Rita in the raising of her daughters as much as possible and cared for her until Rita's sudden death in 1987 at the age of 82. After graduating from Watertown High School, Sue went on to study at the elite Eastman School of Dentistry to become a dental hygienist. It was her career in dental hygiene that brought her to Carthage originally, as the in-school hygienist at the Augustinian Academy, during which period she met and married Joseph A. Abbass, 84, of Carthage, NY. She went on to work with well-respected local dentists including Dr. Silsby, Dr. Trowbridge, Dr. Pominville (Lowville) and Dr. Meagher.
In addition to her dental hygiene work, Sue was also an entrepreneur: a long-term Mary Kay Beauty Consultant, creator of her own line of accessories for people with broken limbs and other disabilities, baking and decorating in meticulous detail special occasion cakes, especially wedding cakes, and opened a craft and consignment shop, "The Cabbage Rose" in West Carthage. She also pioneered and grew the Augustinian Academy "Craft-o-Rama" which was, at its height, the largest craft fair in the area.
Sue's dedication to various causes found her giving generously to her community with her time, energy and ingenuity including active participation in the Carthage Hospital Auxiliary and Daffodils for Cancer as well as 27 years with the Miss New York State Pageant. Her hospitality and wonderful baking and cooking were known far and wide and she enjoyed opening her table to 'orphan soldiers' that couldn't be with their families for Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter dinners.
But even having looked at all of these wonderful things from Sue's past, the most remarked upon aspects of her character were her ability to make just about anything fun and her indomitable creativity. Sue's infectious spirit often inspired those around her to join in her antics from taking a funeral limo through the McDonalds drive-through, to 'girls' weekends to Atlantic City, to long and sometimes fast drives on back roads throughout the North Country (she seemed to know them all) only to get stuck in the mud in Bear Town (her most favorite roads of all!) She was a master homemaker and decorator with an amazing talent for creating special spaces and her baking was loved and often requested by everyone that knew her. Her fried dough? There was nothing like it and she loved for people to enjoy it with her.
Her magnificent one-of-a-kind room-size Christmas tree, her love of fireworks & hot air balloons, her bumper 'zuke' crops in the summer, her fascination with New Orleans, darlin', and her outrageously fun red hat collection (a long time member of the Carthage Red Hats Group) were all part of her legend.
Truly, the world is a brighter place having had Susanne in it. She touched and was touched by so many. Her husband, Joe, her daughters, Gale, Julie and Ami, and her loving pet and service dog, Jamila, feel very privileged and lucky to have been hers.
PSP is a rare neurological disorder that stops its victims from being able to control their voluntary and semi-voluntary muscles. It traps a person in their body and, instead of killing them, toys with them slowly and pitilessly over time until a peripheral problem finally causes death, as it did with Sue. There is no treatment or cure for PSP but research is constantly ongoing. Sue donated her brain to contribute to the effort to prevent other people from experiencing PSP's devastating path. She hoped that in lieu of flowers, people would give what they could to PSP research. This can be done online at www.psp.org/donate/ or by phone toll-free: 800-457-4777 or 347-294-2873 (CURE).
A mass of Christian Burial will be held on Thursday, October 20th at 1:00pm at St. James Church in Carthage. Burial will follow in St. James Cemetery. Calling hours will be held on Wednesday from 2-4 and 6-8 pm and Thursday from 11:30am – 12:30pm at the Bezanilla-McGraw Funeral Home in Carthage.
Born in Baldwinsville, NY to Rita Gale and James Barr in 1941, Sue moved with her parents as far away as Massachusetts, as her father's job with International Harvester dictated, until his death when she was 14 years old. Extremely close with her Mother, Sue included Rita in the raising of her daughters as much as possible and cared for her until Rita's sudden death in 1987 at the age of 82. After graduating from Watertown High School, Sue went on to study at the elite Eastman School of Dentistry to become a dental hygienist. It was her career in dental hygiene that brought her to Carthage originally, as the in-school hygienist at the Augustinian Academy, during which period she met and married Joseph A. Abbass, 84, of Carthage, NY. She went on to work with well-respected local dentists including Dr. Silsby, Dr. Trowbridge, Dr. Pominville (Lowville) and Dr. Meagher.
In addition to her dental hygiene work, Sue was also an entrepreneur: a long-term Mary Kay Beauty Consultant, creator of her own line of accessories for people with broken limbs and other disabilities, baking and decorating in meticulous detail special occasion cakes, especially wedding cakes, and opened a craft and consignment shop, "The Cabbage Rose" in West Carthage. She also pioneered and grew the Augustinian Academy "Craft-o-Rama" which was, at its height, the largest craft fair in the area.
Sue's dedication to various causes found her giving generously to her community with her time, energy and ingenuity including active participation in the Carthage Hospital Auxiliary and Daffodils for Cancer as well as 27 years with the Miss New York State Pageant. Her hospitality and wonderful baking and cooking were known far and wide and she enjoyed opening her table to 'orphan soldiers' that couldn't be with their families for Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter dinners.
But even having looked at all of these wonderful things from Sue's past, the most remarked upon aspects of her character were her ability to make just about anything fun and her indomitable creativity. Sue's infectious spirit often inspired those around her to join in her antics from taking a funeral limo through the McDonalds drive-through, to 'girls' weekends to Atlantic City, to long and sometimes fast drives on back roads throughout the North Country (she seemed to know them all) only to get stuck in the mud in Bear Town (her most favorite roads of all!) She was a master homemaker and decorator with an amazing talent for creating special spaces and her baking was loved and often requested by everyone that knew her. Her fried dough? There was nothing like it and she loved for people to enjoy it with her.
Her magnificent one-of-a-kind room-size Christmas tree, her love of fireworks & hot air balloons, her bumper 'zuke' crops in the summer, her fascination with New Orleans, darlin', and her outrageously fun red hat collection (a long time member of the Carthage Red Hats Group) were all part of her legend.
Truly, the world is a brighter place having had Susanne in it. She touched and was touched by so many. Her husband, Joe, her daughters, Gale, Julie and Ami, and her loving pet and service dog, Jamila, feel very privileged and lucky to have been hers.
PSP is a rare neurological disorder that stops its victims from being able to control their voluntary and semi-voluntary muscles. It traps a person in their body and, instead of killing them, toys with them slowly and pitilessly over time until a peripheral problem finally causes death, as it did with Sue. There is no treatment or cure for PSP but research is constantly ongoing. Sue donated her brain to contribute to the effort to prevent other people from experiencing PSP's devastating path. She hoped that in lieu of flowers, people would give what they could to PSP research. This can be done online at www.psp.org/donate/ or by phone toll-free: 800-457-4777 or 347-294-2873 (CURE).
A mass of Christian Burial will be held on Thursday, October 20th at 1:00pm at St. James Church in Carthage. Burial will follow in St. James Cemetery. Calling hours will be held on Wednesday from 2-4 and 6-8 pm and Thursday from 11:30am – 12:30pm at the Bezanilla-McGraw Funeral Home in Carthage.
Susanne Gale Barr Abbass, 75, was known for her gregarious nature, her big smile, her boundless energy, effortless talent for so very many things and her absolute dedication to her family, friends and community, near and far. After defying the odds of the rare, diabolical neurological condition, Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP), that has been tormenting her since 2004, Sue died restfully and gently Sunday morning after a two week battle with brutal PSP-related complications.
Born in Baldwinsville, NY to Rita Gale and James Barr in 1941, Sue moved with her parents as far away as Massachusetts, as her father's job with International Harvester dictated, until his death when she was 14 years old. Extremely close with her Mother, Sue included Rita in the raising of her daughters as much as possible and cared for her until Rita's sudden death in 1987 at the age of 82. After graduating from Watertown High School, Sue went on to study at the elite Eastman School of Dentistry to become a dental hygienist. It was her career in dental hygiene that brought her to Carthage originally, as the in-school hygienist at the Augustinian Academy, during which period she met and married Joseph A. Abbass, 84, of Carthage, NY. She went on to work with well-respected local dentists including Dr. Silsby, Dr. Trowbridge, Dr. Pominville (Lowville) and Dr. Meagher.
In addition to her dental hygiene work, Sue was also an entrepreneur: a long-term Mary Kay Beauty Consultant, creator of her own line of accessories for people with broken limbs and other disabilities, baking and decorating in meticulous detail special occasion cakes, especially wedding cakes, and opened a craft and consignment shop, "The Cabbage Rose" in West Carthage. She also pioneered and grew the Augustinian Academy "Craft-o-Rama" which was, at its height, the largest craft fair in the area.
Sue's dedication to various causes found her giving generously to her community with her time, energy and ingenuity including active participation in the Carthage Hospital Auxiliary and Daffodils for Cancer as well as 27 years with the Miss New York State Pageant. Her hospitality and wonderful baking and cooking were known far and wide and she enjoyed opening her table to 'orphan soldiers' that couldn't be with their families for Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter dinners.
But even having looked at all of these wonderful things from Sue's past, the most remarked upon aspects of her character were her ability to make just about anything fun and her indomitable creativity. Sue's infectious spirit often inspired those around her to join in her antics from taking a funeral limo through the McDonalds drive-through, to 'girls' weekends to Atlantic City, to long and sometimes fast drives on back roads throughout the North Country (she seemed to know them all) only to get stuck in the mud in Bear Town (her most favorite roads of all!) She was a master homemaker and decorator with an amazing talent for creating special spaces and her baking was loved and often requested by everyone that knew her. Her fried dough? There was nothing like it and she loved for people to enjoy it with her.
Her magnificent one-of-a-kind room-size Christmas tree, her love of fireworks & hot air balloons, her bumper 'zuke' crops in the summer, her fascination with New Orleans, darlin', and her outrageously fun red hat collection (a long time member of the Carthage Red Hats Group) were all part of her legend.
Truly, the world is a brighter place having had Susanne in it. She touched and was touched by so many. Her husband, Joe, her daughters, Gale, Julie and Ami, and her loving pet and service dog, Jamila, feel very privileged and lucky to have been hers.
PSP is a rare neurological disorder that stops its victims from being able to control their voluntary and semi-voluntary muscles. It traps a person in their body and, instead of killing them, toys with them slowly and pitilessly over time until a peripheral problem finally causes death, as it did with Sue. There is no treatment or cure for PSP but research is constantly ongoing. Sue donated her brain to contribute to the effort to prevent other people from experiencing PSP's devastating path. She hoped that in lieu of flowers, people would give what they could to PSP research. This can be done online at www.psp.org/donate/ or by phone toll-free: 800-457-4777 or 347-294-2873 (CURE).
A mass of Christian Burial will be held on Thursday, October 20th at 1:00pm at St. James Church in Carthage. Burial will follow in St. James Cemetery. Calling hours will be held on Wednesday from 2-4 and 6-8 pm and Thursday from 11:30am – 12:30pm at the Bezanilla-McGraw Funeral Home in Carthage.
Born in Baldwinsville, NY to Rita Gale and James Barr in 1941, Sue moved with her parents as far away as Massachusetts, as her father's job with International Harvester dictated, until his death when she was 14 years old. Extremely close with her Mother, Sue included Rita in the raising of her daughters as much as possible and cared for her until Rita's sudden death in 1987 at the age of 82. After graduating from Watertown High School, Sue went on to study at the elite Eastman School of Dentistry to become a dental hygienist. It was her career in dental hygiene that brought her to Carthage originally, as the in-school hygienist at the Augustinian Academy, during which period she met and married Joseph A. Abbass, 84, of Carthage, NY. She went on to work with well-respected local dentists including Dr. Silsby, Dr. Trowbridge, Dr. Pominville (Lowville) and Dr. Meagher.
In addition to her dental hygiene work, Sue was also an entrepreneur: a long-term Mary Kay Beauty Consultant, creator of her own line of accessories for people with broken limbs and other disabilities, baking and decorating in meticulous detail special occasion cakes, especially wedding cakes, and opened a craft and consignment shop, "The Cabbage Rose" in West Carthage. She also pioneered and grew the Augustinian Academy "Craft-o-Rama" which was, at its height, the largest craft fair in the area.
Sue's dedication to various causes found her giving generously to her community with her time, energy and ingenuity including active participation in the Carthage Hospital Auxiliary and Daffodils for Cancer as well as 27 years with the Miss New York State Pageant. Her hospitality and wonderful baking and cooking were known far and wide and she enjoyed opening her table to 'orphan soldiers' that couldn't be with their families for Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter dinners.
But even having looked at all of these wonderful things from Sue's past, the most remarked upon aspects of her character were her ability to make just about anything fun and her indomitable creativity. Sue's infectious spirit often inspired those around her to join in her antics from taking a funeral limo through the McDonalds drive-through, to 'girls' weekends to Atlantic City, to long and sometimes fast drives on back roads throughout the North Country (she seemed to know them all) only to get stuck in the mud in Bear Town (her most favorite roads of all!) She was a master homemaker and decorator with an amazing talent for creating special spaces and her baking was loved and often requested by everyone that knew her. Her fried dough? There was nothing like it and she loved for people to enjoy it with her.
Her magnificent one-of-a-kind room-size Christmas tree, her love of fireworks & hot air balloons, her bumper 'zuke' crops in the summer, her fascination with New Orleans, darlin', and her outrageously fun red hat collection (a long time member of the Carthage Red Hats Group) were all part of her legend.
Truly, the world is a brighter place having had Susanne in it. She touched and was touched by so many. Her husband, Joe, her daughters, Gale, Julie and Ami, and her loving pet and service dog, Jamila, feel very privileged and lucky to have been hers.
PSP is a rare neurological disorder that stops its victims from being able to control their voluntary and semi-voluntary muscles. It traps a person in their body and, instead of killing them, toys with them slowly and pitilessly over time until a peripheral problem finally causes death, as it did with Sue. There is no treatment or cure for PSP but research is constantly ongoing. Sue donated her brain to contribute to the effort to prevent other people from experiencing PSP's devastating path. She hoped that in lieu of flowers, people would give what they could to PSP research. This can be done online at www.psp.org/donate/ or by phone toll-free: 800-457-4777 or 347-294-2873 (CURE).
A mass of Christian Burial will be held on Thursday, October 20th at 1:00pm at St. James Church in Carthage. Burial will follow in St. James Cemetery. Calling hours will be held on Wednesday from 2-4 and 6-8 pm and Thursday from 11:30am – 12:30pm at the Bezanilla-McGraw Funeral Home in Carthage.
Family Members
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Records on Ancestry
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
