Susan Palmer Stanhope

PORTLAND – Susan Palmer Stanhope, of Portland, passed away Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2025, in Portland. She was 82 years young.

Susan was born in Old Lyme, Conn. on Sept. 9, 1942, to Richard Stanhope and Elizabeth Stanhope.

After graduating high school and spending some time studying at college, she discovered her passion for travel and became a flight attendant for Eastern Airlines.

She had two children, Andrew and Marsie, with her first husband, and later in life met and married her second husband, Rick Brusgulis. Susan felt truly fortunate to have experienced the love and companionship of both marriages, with Rick being a wonderful caregiver to Susan later in life.

Among the many jobs she held throughout her life, Susan’s favorites were working as a flight attendant and as a hostess at Portland Country Club. Both roles allowed her to indulge her love for meeting new people, and she thrived in them.

Creativity flowed through Susan in many forms, from writing and sewing to needlepoint and knitting, but her greatest passion was knitting. She and her sister, Nancy, shared memorable trips abroad, often centered around their love for yarn shopping.

What her family cherishes most about Susan was her ability to find joy in the simplest moments. She often said that life was a great adventure! She lived with boundless optimism, joy, and gratitude, always choosing to see the good in others and make the most of every situation. Her presence brightened any room, a natural warmth that came effortlessly. She greeted everyone with a bright smile and often offered a kind word, lifting the spirits of those around her. Susan was quick to let go of negativity, preferring to embrace positivity in all aspects of life. In her later years, she would often say with enthusiasm, “I’ve had a great life.”

Susan was predeceased by her parents; and sister, Barbara (Jonason).

She leaves behind her husband, Rick; son Andrew (Coe), daughter, Marsie; sister, Nancy (and her husband Ricky); grandchildren Cooper, Graceson, Ruby and Hunter; brother-in-law, David; and several special nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be at 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. on Feb. 27 at Hobbs Funeral Home, 230 Cottage Rd., South Portland with a memorial service that will follow directly.

Condolences may be expressed online at http://www.hobbsfuneralhome.com.