Susan E. Harader

Bainbridge resident for 43 years, died on Sunday, October 23rd surrounded by her family. She was 69, and had been struggling with cancer since January.Sue was born in Seattle on December 29th 1941, daughter of Mike and Sudie Storey, and raised along with her four younger siblings in Burien. Sue married David Davies in 1962, but sadly was widowed with three young children when he was killed in Vietnam in 1966. Later that year she married Allen Harader and completed the family with the arrival of a son in 1968, the year they moved to Bainbridge. Sue and Al celebrated their 45th anniversary just 10 days before her passing.As an island resident, Sue made a colorful impact. Her enthusiasm was infectious whether she was sharing her knowledge of alternative health and healing with customers at Soybeans n' Such Natural Foods (a store she opened and owned from 1972 to 1982) or leading group safaris in Tanzania. (Sue purchased Four Seasons Travel in the mid-80's and eventually morphed it into Africa Safari Specialists after becoming captivated with East Africa, a place she visited more than 20 times.) Sue was passionate about musical theater and was eagerly involved with Bainbridge Performing Arts both on stage (in the 80's) and as a member of the board for the past 20-odd years.Sue will be remembered as an amazing cook, an effortless hostess, and a true "foodie." She was a dedicated patron of Winslow's farmer's market and could be spotted most Saturday's toting a huge basket of organic produce. She truly appreciated the bounty of the island, and loved nothing more than picking raspberries or blueberries at local U-pick farms, tending her garden, or digging horse clams with her family and grandkids on "her beach" at Murden Cove.Sue will be forever missed by her surviving family which includes her husband Al, her four kids - John Davies (Suquamish), Tricia Davies Nearn (London), Jill Davies Lucht (Kirkland) and Tim Harader (Seattle) - seven grand children (Emily, Evan, Cecilia, Joanna, Caroline, Charlie and Charlotte), four siblings - Paul Storey (Kingston), Kitt Mathisen (Bainbridge), Russ Storey (Burien) and Casey Gouveia (Seattle) - and one very bewildered Welsh Corgi named Griffin.The family would like to thank the Seattle Cancer Treatment and Wellness Center in Renton, Harrison Hospital in Bremerton, and the staff of the island's own Messenger House for her compassionate care.A celebration of Sue's life will be held at Bainbridge Performing Arts on Saturday, November 5th at 11:30 in the morning.In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to either BPA (http://www.bainbridgeperformingarts.org/) or the Tanzania Children's Fund (http://www.tanzanianchildrensfund.org/).