Obituary of Susan B. Fassett

BALLSTON SPA - Susan B. Fassett (nee Thompson), age 79 of Ballston Spa, passed away on April 16, 2024, after suffering a stroke. She was born on November 30, 1944, in Buffalo and grew up in Dansville, N.Y., before leaving her hometown to go to college at the State University at Albany. Susan was a beloved high school math teacher, beginning her career at Owen D. Young Central School and then moving to and retiring from Schuylerville Central School. She was a fun-loving woman who enjoyed spending time with her friends and family. Susan was an avid walker. You'd find her out walking around her neighborhood, the village of Ballston Spa, the Saratoga Spa State Park, and anywhere else someone invited her to go. She rarely refused an offer to go for a walk. She was a regular at the Saratoga YMCA and was always recruiting people to join her rowing team. She was closing in on 11,000,000 meters rowed since they started tracking. She also won her age bracket in many of our area road races. There aren't many 5ks, 10ks, or half marathons locally that she didn't participate in. She also completed multiple marathons. She enjoyed hiking in the Adirondacks and summited numerous mountains. At home you could find her in her flower gardens trying to keep the weeds at bay or sitting outside watching the birds on her many bird feeders. When time would allow, she fostered many kittens throughout the years from the Saratoga County Animal Shelter. She and her husband traveled extensively and saw many beautiful places and their favorite was Puerto Rico. Susan was a member of St. Peter's Lutheran Church in Malta and the Saratoga Senior Center. Susan is survived by her daughters, Christine (Ken) Wright of Ballston Spa, and Katherine Culbert of Houston, Texas; sisters, Donna Gridley and Bonnie Wolfer of Dansville, N.Y.; grandchildren, Whitney and Nicholas Wright and many aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband, Dean Fassett; parents, Lois and Howard Thompson; and sister, Gloria Berg. Susan will be deeply missed by all who knew her, and she will live on through her organ donation and her anatomical gift to Albany Medical College. Her family would like to thank the nurses and medical staff at Albany Medical Center for their excellent care. A service to celebrate Susan's life will be held at St. Peter's Lutheran Church in Malta 2776 US-9, Malta, NY 12020 on May 18, at 11 a.m. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology or Friends of Saratoga Spa State Park.