Suzanne Doreen Degener - Obituary

Suzanne Doreen Degener was born August 11, 1962, in KansasCity, Missouri.

She was welcomed with joy by her parents Dorothy and Walter, her older brother Michael, and her grandparents Minnie Mae and Nelson Bresette. She joined a large extended family of aunts and uncles, and 13 cousins, all of whom she came to enjoy spending time with.

Suzanne was a beautiful child; she always had a lovely smile and a delightful laugh. She liked school and did well. At age 9 the family moved to Colorado Springs. She enjoyed living in Colorado and always looked forward to the frequent trips the family made locally and around the state.

While in grade school, Suzanne began organ lessons. Her parents bought her an organ, and with hard work she soon became proficient, performing at several recitals. Suzanne had a lovely voice, and an excellent ear. It was noticed that from an early age she had a particular facility for learning the music and lyrics of the music she heard at her family’s home -- Broadway musicals, movie musicals, and popular music. As a child, she enjoyed performing for friends and loved ones.

Suzanne was an animal lover by nature; dogs were always present in her life. She was mother to her "furry children" Meggie and Christie. Later in her life, she would find joy in owning cats. Her beloved black cat, Wiggins predeceased her by only months. She had a special affinity for horses, and began riding lessons once she moved to Colorado Springs. The family eventually bought a horse, “Tara”, that was boarded at a nearby stable. Suzanne loved her horse dearly.

In 1977, after her first year in high school, Suzanne moved with her mother to Santa Maria, California. It was here that she began voice lessons; she had a naturally wide vocal range, and with lessons, learned to master various vocal techniques and styles. She cherished her voice as one of the special gifts that she had been blessed with.

Suzanne later moved with her mother to Santa Barbara to be closer to her brother. She continued her vocal lessons while attending Bishop Diego High School, and graduated in 1980. She always enjoyed the beauty of Santa Barbara’s ocean and mountains.

After several years in Santa Barbara, Suzanne and Dorothy moved down the central coast to Ventura. While there, Suzanne attended Ventura College to major in theater. She appeared in several stage productions, in both comedic and dramatic plays, but most often in musicals where her vocal talents were displayed. She was always a key member of the cast and on occasion received top billing. After earning her AA in theater, she enrolled in Cal State Northridge, Ventura Campus, where she earned her B.A. in Humanities. Later she found employment with Ventura County Health Care Services where she worked for several years.

When her mother passed in 2002, Suzanne moved to Hollywood to pursue her creative dreams. She was always close to her brother; they would often spend time together in Ventura and Santa Barbara. Once she moved to Los Angeles, they stayed close by phone and her brother would visit her whenever he could.

In Hollywood, Suzanne quickly became a beloved neighbor, co-worker, castmate and friend, remembered for her loyalty, her love of animals, and her generosity. Besides her many interests and talents, Suzanne had a clever wit and a great sense of humor; it was fun to make her laugh.

A talented writer, she was the author of an unpublished Buffy the Vampire Slayer fan fiction entitled Spike. Suzanne was also an accomplished baker who found joy in creating and sharing her work with friends and family near and far. A lifelong reader, she built a remarkable collection of books and was always eager to share her love of literature and learning with others.

For more than two decades, Suzanne dedicated herself to a career in fundraising. Over the years she helped raise hundreds of thousands of dollars -- most often through modest donations of $10 and $20 -- by connecting with people one by one and inspiring them with her passion and compassion. Her work was deeply personal, grounded in her commitment to causes greater than herself. She was a steadfast advocate for the disenfranchised, attending protests even when health challenges made it difficult to do so.

Though her efforts raised hundreds of thousands of dollars, Suzanne’s greatest contribution was the way she uplifted and encouraged the people she loved. Even in times of personal hardship, she gave selflessly of her time, energy, and heart. She will be remembered for her loyalty, indiscriminate generosity, her lifetime of tireless activism, the gift of her voice and her delicious, home-made cakes and cookies. Suzanne was dearly loved and is survived by her brother Michael and sister-in-law Danae Degener, and by her dear maternal cousins in Kansas City and her adopted sister and brother-in-law, Michelle and Cody Blake.

They are all heartbroken by her loss.