Susan Gay Sasso

Susan Gay (Fawcett) Sasso, age 79, of Drummond Island, Michigan passed away December 10, 2021 surrounded by her daughters. She was born November 30, 1942, in Pontiac, Michigan to Floyd Addison and Lena Eva (Langdon) Fawcett. Susan was the youngest of their 7 children.

Susan grew up in the Drayton Plains, MI area. She graduated from Waterford High School in 1960 and continued to get together with her lifelong friends from that area. She moved to Ann Arbor and worked for U of M and met Frank Sasso on a blind date in 1960 and that was the just the beginning of building a life and family together that would be their legacy. Susan managed the household and raised the couples four girls. She was a dedicated volunteer EMT on the Drummond Island Ambulance Corp for many years, a D.I. Homemaker; putting on shows and helping islanders, coached elementary girls’ basketball, helped run the Youth Center and was a longtime member of the 4th of July parade and races board among other involvements. Susan later worked at Drummond Island Realty helping others fall under Drummond Islands spell as she had years before.

Over the years “Susie” enjoyed her family and good friends and all of their antics together. She made unforgettable giant cookies each Valentine’s Day for the elementary school classrooms and created countless elaborate handmade costumes for her four daughters growing up as well as teaming up with her group of girlfriends dressing in Halloween costumes and creating scavenger hunts. She and her siblings traveled on Sisters Trips each year and in 1985 began the additional family tradition of Aunts and Nieces trips with theme nights, endless shows, costumes, food and fun! Her favorite pastimes; she was a tenacious euchre player, she enjoyed golfing, playing softball, snowmobile trips and travel groups with her gal pals, and hunting morel mushrooms every Mother’s Day with her family at camp. She was known amongst islanders and beyond for making her famous pasties! Susan will also be remembered for her fun-loving spirit, her helpful nature, quick smile and raising four civic minded daughters with Frank. She got a kick out of her seven grandsons, one granddaughter and was just getting to know her great-grandkids.

Susan is survived by her children, Kimberly (Chad) Cameron, of Drummond Island, Rebecca (Jerry) Newell, of Drummond Island , Nichole (Mike) Sasso-Allison, of Sault Ste. Marie and Suzanne (Brad) Kuusinen, of Drummond Island; grandchildren, Frank (Shannon) Smith, Alex (Caitlin) Smith, Nicholas and Garrett Newell, Cory and Kurt Matkovich, and Claire and Hunter Kuusinen; great grandchildren, Brock and Cameron Smith and Jack Smith; her sister Sally Pilkinton of Bradenton, Florida and her sisters-in-law Tess Hoey and Cherry Cloudman and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death, just 19 days prior, by her husband of 60 years, Frank; both of her parents, her (1) brother, (5) sisters and their spouses, Jack & Shirley Fawcett, Betty and Ed Chandler, Peggy and George Woody, Nancy and Bill Knapp, Patsy and Clare Johnson, and John Pilkinton and in-laws; Rosalie and Frank Sasso Sr., James Cloudman and Allen Hoey.

A funeral service will be held Monday, December 20th at 12:00pm at the Drummond Island Lighthouse Church. Visitation will be from 11am –noon, with a luncheon to follow the service at the Drummond Island Township Hall.

Interment will be in Drummond Island Township Cemetery

Susan was a very involved Drummond Island community volunteer. Memorial contributions may be made to the Drummond Island Homemakers and the Drummond Island Ambulance Corp.