Susan Rosemary Leslie Capps

A Celebration of Life for Susan Capps will be held on Saturday, August 9^th from 2PM – 5PM at the Elks Club, 19 Carpasian Rd

Susan Rosemary Leslie Capps passed peacefully in her home in St. John’s on May 27, 2025, the same day as her beloved husband John Frederick Capps, 33 years before.

As a notable lover of words, Susan was far too fascinating to be contained by them. She was a boundless woman – an adventurer, educator, caregiver, writer, poet, painter, gardener, mother, (great) grandmother, sister, and devoted friend, with a thoughtful, open-hearted, curious soul. This is how she will be remembered by her daughters – Deborah, Lucy (Jim) and Sarah (Randy); her grandchildren Daniel & Allison, Nic & Rebecca, Jamie, Kathleen, Laura & dear Devon, whose spirit is out there giggling with her in the sunshine. She is cherished by her darling great-grand-children – Bailey, Kai, Jasper and Briar, and her sisters Liz, Jane, Sarah and Ann. Also remembered dearly by David (Jeff), Melvie, Verna, and extended family in England of the Melvilles & Capps’, and her Canadian family in the Millers, O’Gradys, Noseworthys and MacDonalds.

Susan made a tremendous impact on families and communities all over the world through her fascinating life journey. As a young woman, Susan began her work in early childhood education, with an everlasting dedication to supporting families & children’s healthy growth. She trained as a Princess Christian Nursery Nurse and started her career as an English Nanny, sending her to Peru at age 21 on her first Trans-Atlantic ship voyage.

She moved around the world with John and her young family, from England to Iran, Nigeria, Canada, and Saudi Arabia, finally finding a true, natural home to spread roots in Newfoundland. She passionately worked to develop this longest home as a healthy and sustainable place for all to live, as one of the few early childhood educators at the time. She worked at the Children’s Centre, was a founding member of the Early Childhood Development Association (ECDA) and was a part of the team that ran the first Early Childhood Training Centre (ECTC). Susan also worked with Friends of the Refugees, the precursor to the Association for New Canadians, supporting many mothers and their very young children transitioning to life in Canada.

Susan retired in 1994, which began a new era of travel in her life with her friend Patricia Delaney. As a widow in her 70’s, she pushed herself to visit all the new places she and John had dreamed of going. She made detailed journals of her travels to China, Thailand, Singapore, hot air balloon rides in Australia, New Zealand, riding elephants in India, Russia, the Galapagos Islands, Egypt, East Africa, sleeping on a glacier in Antarctica at the age of 74, then expeditioning up to the Arctic Circle.

Susan shared her eternal wisdom with us through her creative work and avid journaling. She was a true storyteller with a gentle and captivating voice, becoming a volunteer reader at many elementary schools. She earned the nickname of “Penguin Lady” as she recounted encounters with penguins in Antarctica and The Galapagos. Susan wrote these stories of her travels as articles in The Telegram and the Senior’s Pride, leading to a self-published book “Around the World in 80 Years”, accompanied by her poetry and paintings. We are lucky to have this record of a life well lived, her proof of a vital lesson: that we all have something valuable within us to share.

Following retirement, Susan didn’t slow down and became involved in many volunteer and community activities. She was one of the first YWCA “Women of Distinction Award” winners in 1994. As a senior, she advocated for fellow seniors’ rights through passionate volunteerism and social support, especially with the Seniors Resource Centre. She performed theatre, gave talks, was a Friendly Visitor, avid walker, a rose expert, and won 1st place in the 1998 Tely 10 – in the 70 and over category! Susan was an excellent scrabbler, playing regularly with the Terra Nova Grannies, a local group supporting the work of the Stephen Lewis Foundation’s campaign which assists grandparents in Africa raising their grandchildren orphaned from AIDS. Susan balanced each of these endeavours and accomplishments with a compassionate, tender heart, while modeling how to treat everyone with respect, love, and dignity.

Most of all, Susan was happiest in her role as Granny, or “GG”. She gathered with her family every Saturday morning for coffee, holding her dachshund Nala, maybe wearing her favourite Tilley hat in the garden, or sharing her latest poem or word puzzle. We are all lucky to have had her as a guide; she taught us to listen patiently, speak intentionally, think critically, act respectfully, and live courageously.

She gave us big dreams and bigger hearts, and we know her spirit is sailing around the world with Grandpa, or perhaps in a hot air balloon, or maybe bungee jumping, in Japan.

In lieu of flowers, a donation in her name can be made to the Devon O’Grady Memorial Varsity Basketball Award – a scholarship that is very close to the family’s heart – or a community charity of their choice.