Susan Wheeler Robinson Meade, 94, passed on Jan. 11, 2025 at Cove’s Edge in Damariscotta, surrounded by loving family.
Born in 1930 in Bryn Mawr, Pa. to Ethel Stuart Robinson and William John Robinson, Susan earned a B.A. in English from American University in Washington, D.C. She grew up in South Carolina, Virginia, and Maine before attending college. She dedicated her life to her family, her friends, her faith, and to the service of others, in volunteer efforts during her extensive time living abroad and at home.
Exploring, and making a difference in, the world was one of Susan’s biggest passions. She studied abroad in Denmark, during which time she traveled solo around Europe. Later she worked as a secretary at the Egyptian Embassy in Washington, D.C. Together with husband Frazier and children, Jennifer, Andrew, and Billy, she lived in Malaysia, the United Kingdom, Philippines, and Haiti, interspersed with years spent in Ann Arbor, Mich., Washington, D.C., and Newport, R.I.
At overseas posts, Susan dedicated her time to building strong connections with the local community and participated in efforts to support important local causes, especially those that helped children, such as creating and painting papier-mache angels in support of St. Luke’s Medical Center in Quezon City, Philippines. A highlight of her time in Washington, D.C. following their last overseas post in Haiti was as executive assistant at the World Bank. Locally, Susan volunteered for Miles Memorial Hospital, now MaineHealth Lincoln Hospital in Damariscotta.
While living in Haiti in the late 1970s and early 1980s, she was a member of Eye Care International, an organization that sold local art to support several free eye care clinics. She subsequently developed the Haiti Fund at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in 1998 in Newcastle with her husband, Frazier. Since inception, the Haiti Fund has conducted fundraising Haitian art sales throughout Maine in order to support a school in the mountain village of Figaro, a suburb of Gros Morne, Haiti, with books, school uniforms, and teacher salaries. Following the devastating earthquake in Haiti in 2010, Susan helped to spearhead the creation of the Lincoln County Ecumenical Committee for Haiti, which collaborated with numerous churches and businesses to conduct an annual fundraising dinner to raise funds to benefit the most needy in Gros Morne.
Susan’s faith was deeply important to her. She played a prominent role at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, and was both well known and well loved among the community of parishioners. She let almost nothing stand in the way of attending services.
Susan met her husband, Charles Harrison Frazier Meade, in 1953. Their exceptionally loving marriage spanned more than seven decades, and they celebrated their 70th anniversary on June 19 of last year. She was an extraordinarily dedicated mother, who enjoyed playing games as a family, such as charades, mahjong, Parcheesi, and card games, cribbage, bridge, Murder, and Oh Hell. She loved the ocean, whether snorkeling in the warm waters or basking on a beach in the Philippines or Haiti, or walking along the rocks at Pemaquid Point in nearby New Harbor. She helped husband Frazier sail their sloop, The Fortuna, from Haiti to Florida – her first ever sail. She was an avid gardener, as equally at home nurturing orchids in the tropics as growing perennials and annuals in her garden in Newcastle. A stalwart walker, she was also a prolific reader, avid opera goer, and a big fan of mysteries. She embodied and imparted the lesson that every human being is deserving of the same level of respect and dignity.
Susan was predeceased by her sister, Pamela Nichols; and brothers, Charles Robinson and William Robinson Jr.
Susan is survived by her loving husband, Frazier; daughter, Jennifer Meade; two sons, Andrew Meade and his wife, Lila Metres Meade, and Billy Meade; four grandchildren: Andrew’s daughters, Kristen and Lily, Billy’s daughter, Elizabeth and son, Nathaniel, and his wife, Katelynn; and one great-grandchild, Nathaniel and Katelynn’s son, Evren.
A memorial service will be held in the spring at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, 11 Glidden St., Newcastle, ME 04553 the date to be announced. Donations in Susan’s memory may be made to the Lincoln County Ecumenical Committee for Haiti (with her name in the memo line) and sent to P.O. Box 213, Newcastle, ME 04553.
Arrangements are under the direction and care of the Strong-Hancock Funeral Home, 612 Main St., Damariscotta, ME 04543. Condolences, and messages for her family, may be expressed by visiting stronghancock.com.
