Obituary of Susan Heather McLeod

It is with profound sadness, but also with deep love and gratitude for the life she shared with us, that we announce the passing of Susan Heather McLeod on Tuesday, September 8, in her 80th year. For decades, Susan faced extraordinary health challenges with courage, determination and a remarkable strength of spirit. She truly “Held Fast.” Despite everything she endured, she remained the woman we knew and loved — proud, loving, beautiful, intelligent, perceptive, creative, determined and gracious. After the extraordinary efforts of the critical care team at London’s Victoria Hospital, Susan’s heart finally grew tired. Her passing has left an enormous emptiness in our lives, but it is filled with memories of a truly remarkable woman. Susan was a natural leader. She built an impressive career in the creative agency and magazine publishing industry, rising through the management ranks at McLean Hunter before its merger with Rogers Communications. But she was never content to simply follow a path laid out by others. She had a strong entrepreneurial spirit and repeatedly created new opportunities for herself. She established her own consulting business, working with clients in publishing, the not-for-profit sector and customer service. A love of crafts led her to turn her beaded eyeglass holders into a business opportunity. She became certified in home staging at a time when the concept was still relatively new. Susan also became a passionate advocate for issues affecting the health and well-being of seniors. In many ways, Susan was the CEO of her own life. She knew who she was and what she believed in. She valued honesty and authenticity and had little patience for insincerity or misdirection. She was fiercely protective of the people she loved and generous with her time, encouragement and praise. She noticed good work, quick to acknowledged good deeds and made people feel that their contributions mattered. Susan enriched the lives of the people around her. She inspired confidence in family, friends and colleagues alike. She was never afraid to say no, offer thoughtful and sometimes sage advice, or simply roll up her sleeves, get involved and find a solution. One of Susan’s greatest gifts was her remarkable ability to understand people. She was deeply emotionally aware and could often sense the strengths, authenticity, pain or unspoken feelings of those around her. Her empathy ran deep, and it extended especially to animals. She became a passionate protector of animals and cherished the dogs who shared her life — Lochlan, Sherman, Frankie, Jazz and Sammy. Susan loved being near the water. She loved the feeling of the sand beneath her feet, the ability to look out and see for miles, and the simple freedom of walking along the shore. Few places meant more to her than Amherst Shore, Nova Scotia, especially walking the sandbars — a place that seemed to touch something deep within her soul. She was also adventurous and loved to travel. Her journeys to Scotland, France, Victoria and Canada's East Coast were among the experiences that brought her life-affirming joy. Above all, Susan was a loving and devoted wife and partner to Randy Sageman. Their life together was built on love, respect, companionship, loyalty and an enduring bond that will remain forever. Susan was predeceased by her parents, Marjorie and Lloyd. She was a big sister to Barbara (Ron Thomson) and Kathy (Doug Adams), and her brother Peter (Robyn, nee Straker), and leaves behind many nieces and nephews of whom she was immensely proud. Susan was loved deeply. She gave generously of herself, stood firmly for the people and things she cared about, and left an indelible mark on the lives of those fortunate enough to know her. She will be profoundly missed, lovingly remembered, and forever carried in our hearts. Cremation has taken place. Details regarding a Celebration of Life will be announced at a later date. Susan had so many causes she believed in and supported. If you would like to make a donation in Susan's name, feel free to do so to the charity of your choice. Messages of condolence may be shared below or by email at randy.sageman@hay.net.