Susanne Nourse Blair

Date of Birth

September 25, 1921

Date of Death

June 30, 2011

City of Death

Santa Barbara

Susanne Nourse Blair, passed away peacefully June 30, 2011 in Santa Barbara, California. Born September 25, 1921 to Margaret Ericson and Judge Paul Nourse at the Good Samaritan Hospital in Los Angeles. She graduated from Marlborough School for Girls in 1939. She attended Finch Junior College in New York and continued on at the University of California Los Angeles where she was a member of the Kappa Alpha Theta Sorority.

She married Wiley Blair III of Colorado Springs in March of 1942. They moved to the Pasadena area in 1949 where they raised their three daughters. Susie and Wiley retired to Santa Barbara in 1980.

Susie had a successful career in real estate for twenty years in addition to the many charities with which she was involved. She was active in many organizations such as Las Madrinas of Children’s Hospital, Pasadena Garden Club, Town & Country Garden Club, Santa Barbara Garden Club, Music Academy of the West, Botanic Gardens, Scandinavian Foundation and was a supporter of the Santa Barbara Zoo.

She will be remembered for the beautiful garden she and Wiley created. They hosted wonderful parties in this garden. It was visited on many occasions by the Garden Club of America. She was very proud of the recognition by the Smithsonian Institution for inclusion to the Archives of American Gardens for her Three Climate Garden.

In addition to her passion for gardening and flower arranging, she loved fly fishing, bridge and golf. She and Wiley also enjoyed their travels camping with family, driving adventures in Baja, Mexico and Central America and journeying to many countries with friends.

Susie is survived by her husband Wiley, her three daughters Susie Riley (Pat), Peggy Spaulding, Kitty-Kell Rible (Justin), five grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.

The family would like to thank her doctor Babji Mesipam, her dedicated caregivers and the staff at Casa Dorinda for taking wonderful care of her needs and comfort.

Services will be held at All Saints-by-the Sea, 83 Eucalyptus Lane, Santa Barbara, Saturday July 16th, at 1 p.m.

In lieu of flowers and as a tribute, memorial donations may be directed to: Casa Dorinda Scholarship Fund, 300 Hot Springs Road, Santa Barbara, CA 93108 or to the Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital Foundation in memory of Suzanne Nourse Blair

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