Susan Wells was born February 2, 1952, in Newcastle, England, to parents Dr. John Morphy of Leith, Scotland and Jessie Catherine Morphy (nee Vass) of Balintore, Scotland. She died on October 21, 2022, in Oakville, Ontario, from complications of bowel cancer chemotherapy.
Her family emigrated from Scotland to Canada in 1957, where she lived in Lancaster, New Brunswick and Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, with her older sister Ann Catherine Morphy and younger brother William Alexander Morphy.
She attended Saskatchewan Technical Institute, where she was the first woman to graduate from their Architectural Technology Diploma program. She worked for Cambrian Engineering in Saskatoon for ten years in the 1970s and 1980s, designing mining plant buildings and industrial facilities. She purchased and renovated her home in Saskatoon.
She met her husband, Peter Frederic Wells while working on secondment at the Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan, and they were married on December 22, 1984. They moved to Apohaqui and Bathurst, New Brunswick and then to Sudbury, Ontario, where they lived for ten years.
The family moved to Oakville, Ontario, in 2001, where she worked for Inco at Sheridan Park and retired in 2004.
Susan lived in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, in 2008, where she made many friends and returned frequently.
She was the Vice President of the Oakville Historical Society, serving on the board for 12 years, writing the quarterly newsletter and giving tours. She was the recipient of the Queens Platinum Jubilee Award.
She was a dependable race committee member for the Bronte Harbour Yacht Club.
She was the mother of Heather Jessie Wells, Jane Rosemary Wells, Sophia Vass Wells, John Frederic Wells and her step-daughter Jessica Anne Grace Wells.
She loved words and learning about new places and people, exploring historical buildings, collecting art and lovely bits of anything. She made beautiful things her whole life through sewing, quilting, knitting and photography.
She would proudly correct a superfluous decimal even if it meant she might get thrown out of the store.
Her favourite part of being a mother was all the new adventures her children took her on, things she might not have thought to try otherwise.
She loved her grandchildren Henry, Oliver, Felix, Andrew, June, Jasper and Leila.
She was very proud of her Scottish heritage and was responsible for leaving a scotch for Santa and carrying our dark-haired toddler brother over the threshold on New Year's Day for good luck.
She knew who she was and what she wanted and did not suffer fools gladly.
After Susan met and befriended you, she kept your friendship. She had friends that she made in grade school.
She wanted us to know that she did her best and to hear that it was enough.
She was a vibrant, loving, funny woman of who we are all very proud. We miss her deeply.
The family wishes to thank the healthcare team who took such good care of her at Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital.
A celebration of Susan's life was held at the Bronte Harbour Yacht Club on Oct. 27.
In lieu of flowers, that family asks that donations be made to your local food bank.
