Suzan Trimm Obituary

Hesperus resident Suzan Smith Trimm died suddenly Wednesday, April 4, 2012, at Mercy Regional Medical Center. She was 69. The cause of death is undetermined.

Ms. Trimm was born to Bob and Barbara Trimm on Jan. 31, 1943, in Glendale, Calif. She grew up in California.

In the mid-1960s, she married Ross Hauck in Las Vegas. As a young bride, she lived in Thailand with her husband, who was working for the Army. The marriage later ended in divorce.

As a single mother, she raised her two daughters, first working for State Farm Insurance in Los Angeles before supporting her family as an escrow officer in Big Bear Lake, Calif.

In the mid-1970s, she married Al Manley while living in Mount Rose near Reno, Nev. The marriage later ended in divorce. One of her favorite activities while living in Nevada was helping a neighbor with cattle drives.

In the late 1980s, she married an old friend, Daniel Dodd, in Redwood Valley, Calif. The marriage later ended in divorce.

The couple moved back to his hometown, Big Bear Lake, and Ms. Trimm purchased and ran McGrath Escrow Co. Later, she opened Elder Bear Care, a care home for the elderly, before moving to Hesperus nearly nine years ago.

Ms. Trimm enjoyed working for Durango School District 9-R as a substitute teacher and aide for special-needs children. As a personal aide, she enjoyed working with one child in particular, Bryce Bailey, with whom she developed a lifelong friendship.

A horsewoman from the time she was a girl, Ms. Trimm loved animals and always had some combination of horses, dogs, cats and goats, which gave her great comfort, entertainment and joy. Later in life, she developed a special interest for greyhounds and supported greyhound rescue, where she adopted her late dogs Gracie and Kayla.

Ms. Trimm is survived by her daughters Greta D'Amico of Auburn, Calif., and Kristen Panico of Blackood, N.J.; brother, Carlton Trimm, of Costa Mesa, Calif.; and two grandchildren.

A potluck celebration of life will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, April 28, 2012, at the Marvel Grange Hall, 217 County Road 133A. Call Kristen Panico at (856) 261-8097 for more information.

Memorial contributions may be sent to the Greyhound Companions of New Mexico at www.gcnm.org.