Susan Carll Thornes

SALEM - Susan Carll Thornes, 90, of Salem, Massachusetts, formerly of Norfolk, Virginia, passed away peacefully on August 13, 2026, surrounded by family.

Susan was born in Washington, D.C., in March 1936, to Ruth (Coale Columbus) and George S. Carll. She would also want it known that she had a second, surrogate father, John Ferguson, with whom she spent much time and who fostered her love of writing through his business, “Monumental Press,” in Baltimore, Maryland. John and Susan’s parents were all writers in Washington: her mother was the editor of a Washington magazine, and her father was an editor for the Army Times.

Susan attended Sidwell Friends and The Madeira School, followed by Colby College and, later in life, obtained a master’s degree in education from Old Dominion University.

She worked as the principal of Breezy Point Kindergarten at the Naval Air Station in Norfolk until 1978, when she went to work for the Navy at the Naval Supply Center at NAS Norfolk. There, she taught “whatever needed to be taught,” whether it was computer programming or forklift driving. Susan’s interest in computers was the basis for a lifelong twitch in her daughter, Lucia, that occurs whenever she sees a blue startup screen.

Born with scoliosis at a time when treatments were limited, Susan’s mother got her involved in horseback riding and archery as tools for improving core strength to support her back. Susan enjoyed both activities from toddlerhood through college, reviewing the names of all her horses in photographs, the Sunday before she passed.

Susan will be missed by many. The Hershey Company will experience a marked reduction in sales, along with the chai tea industry, as well as the paper-clip and rubber-band makers of America. The managers at Market Basket will also notice a reduction in complaints about the unavailability of some random product that was only ever purchased by her.

Her children will miss her fried chicken—made only in bacon grease—which was the stuff of legends. We will continue to try to replicate it, at least until our cardiologists say no more.

Susan was known for being able to talk her way through challenging situations, whether mumbling her name to get someone else’s hotel reservation (it was the ’80s—no ID needed…) or “stealing” a dog who was routinely left out in the cold, chained up with a frozen water bowl. This “creative problem-solving” was offset by her extensive volunteer work. She donated blood every 56 days for most of her adult life, answered phones at The Crisis Center in Norfolk, and learned sign language so she could connect more with her deaf and hard-of-hearing coworkers.

Susan’s family would like to thank the surrogate family we developed with the employees at Sunrise at Gardner Park, including, but not limited to, Debbie, Patty, Catherine, Mandy, Tami, Jessica, Stephanie, Marlyne, Ivelisse, Laura, Marie, Josette, Jacquie, Chantal, Crystal, Tara, and Bailey.

Susan was family to these people, and it was beyond apparent at the end of her life how deeply they cared for her, in addition to “caring for her”. You are all seen, appreciated, and respected more than we can describe.

Susan is survived by her children Page (Teresa) Goffigon and Lucia (Ed Schutte) Coale, her grandchildren Jessica and TD, Gean, Harper Schutte, and granddog Ellis Roscoe.

ARRANGEMENTS: At Susan’s request there will be no services. In lieu of flowers, Susan would love it if people were able to support Snooty Giggles, a dog rescue for difficult to adopt pets, in Central Tennessee. Perhaps on some level she identified with them. https://www.snootygiggles.com/ . To share a memory or offer a condolence, please visit www.odonnellfuneralservice.com

Palo Alto forever!!!