Susan Lee Baroni-Schaeffer

Susan Lee Baroni-Schaeffer, 66, of Colchester, passed away peacefully in the early hours of June 6, 2022, after an extraordinary seven year battle with lung cancer. In the face of a terminal diagnosis, she continued to greet each day with an incomparable zest for life.
A lifelong Connecticut resident, Susan (née Dougherty) was born on August 18, 1955 and grew up in East Hampton, later moving to Marlborough and finally Colchester. Her first marriage to Bob Baroni produced the lights of her life, her daughters Katie and Genna.
Susan loved the arts and shared that enthusiasm with her girls. Despite working multiple jobs to support her family, she never missed a dance recital or band concert. Through thousands of pickups/drop-offs, playgroup dates, elaborate birthday parties, and hundreds of hours spent trading foot massages during family movie nights, she was there for all of it and as devoted as they come.
Susan was equally generous towards her community, volunteering at local schools and leading her church’s youth group through years of retreats and mission trips. To the dismay of her introverted children, Susan adored planning parties. She happily volunteered her home for gatherings, family reunions, anniversaries, and her daughter Kate’s wedding, spending many months gardening in preparation. A natural saleswoman in the best sense of the phrase, Susan's kind, easygoing manner made lifelong friends wherever she worked, be it Discovery Toys, S&S Worldwide, the Norwich Bulletin, or Channel 3 Kids Camp, her final position before retirement. It was as an advertising representative at The Bulletin that she met her husband Hank, one of her clients.
Post-retirement, she and Hank spent long mornings conversing over coffee and cinnamon rolls, planning their day ahead. They delighted in each other’s company, and even at her sickest, they shared a raucous laugh (or twenty) every day. They loved spending time in their gardens, at the Salmon River with their miniature schnauzer Monty, and in their hot tub, sharing a nightcap under the stars. In Susan's last years, they went on two RV adventures across the country, visiting many friends and making countless more. From the Carolinas through Alabama, across Texas and through national parks, they were trips of a lifetime, and Susan savored every moment.
Susan leaves behind her soulmate and husband Henry ‘Hank’ Schaeffer, children Kate Salathé and Genna Baroni, stepchildren Kirsten Dalton and John Schaeffer, grandchildren Romana Salathé and Korbin Dalton, siblings Guy ‘Chipper’ Allen and Cathy Sue Moebius, and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, and dear friends. She is predeceased by her parents Earl & Helene 'Vicki' Allen, and her biological father John Dougherty.
A service will be held on Friday, June 10 at 1:00PM at the Spencer Funeral Home in East Hampton, CT. To give far-flung family and friends the chance to gather -- and because Susan loved a party -- her family is planning an additional celebration of life for later this year, with details yet to be determined.  In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the American Cancer Society. To leave online condolences please visit www.spencerfuneralhomeinc.com.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Susan Lee Baroni-Schaeffer, please visit our floral store.