Susan J. (O'Connor) Beeler

Susan Jane Beeler, late of Brookfield, NH died peacefully at the age of 77 on July 1, 2021.

Susan Beeler was born in Manchester, NH in 1944, the daughter of William and Dorothy Olive (Smith) O'Connor. She graduated from Manchester Central High School in 1961, and went on to attend Newton College of the Sacred Heart, then Skidmore College in NY. When her beloved grandfather became ill from heart failure, her desire to help him started her passion for nursing, and she was accepted into the Bachelor's Degree program in Nursing at Columbia University. In NYC, while studying medicine, she also married the love of her life, Thomas T. Beeler, who had also grown up in Manchester. Between 1966-1969, Sue and Tom welcomed both of their children, Ethan, then Emily, and Sue earned her nursing degree. Sue's creative skills flowered, as she created handmade puppets and games for the kids. In the early 1970s, the family moved back to the Manchester area (Hooksett) and Susan worked at the Elliot Hospital in the Intensive Care Unit where she was eventually promoted to Head Nurse. She also worked in the cardiac unit, and developed a training program for other nurses.

In 1980 the family moved into and restored an 1857 farmhouse and barn in Hampton Falls, NH. Susan researched the history of the house and property and joined the local historical society. Sue loved animals, and over the years the family had a number of cats, dogs, ducks, chickens, turkeys, horses, llamas and a host of other pets. She kept building her nursing skills, obtaining her credentials to become a certified Geriatric Nurse Practitioner through Boston University, and then a Family Nurse Practitioner through UNH. She worked for many years at the Home Health Visiting Nurse Agency in Haverhill, MA, and then in a medical office in Epping. Tragedy struck in 2002 when a fire consumed their Hampton Falls home. After rebuilding, they discovered their final home in a handmade house on 32 acres of preserved land in Brookfield, NH. Sue's creative skills thrived again - she learned to make beaded jewelry which she sold in the summer months at the Wakefield Marketplace. Sue developed chronic lung disease during this time. When Tom passed in 2019, his niece Valerie Cooper, stayed with Sue throughout her final years. She was also helped by many other loving family members, friends and hard working health care and other workers. The family wishes to thank the Central NH VNA for all of their care, and also her friend, Ileana Valcarcel Moreira who helped Sue care for so many animals over the years.

Sue was predeceased by her husband of 55 years, Thomas T. Beeler and her parents William and Dorothy Olive (Smith) O'Connor.

Sue leaves her son Ethan Beeler, his wife Johanna Linnehan-Beeler and grandson Jonathan Linnehan-Beeler of MA, her daughter Emily Beeler and her wife Mary Trainor of CA, her brother Herbert O'Connor and his wife Susan (Grenier) O'Connor of NH, her nephew Michael O' Connor and his wife Megan (Finnegan) O'Connor and their two sons Daniel and Jamie of Ipswich, MA, her nephews Thomas O'Connor and David O'Connor of NH, her brother David O'Connor and his wife Mary (Francica) O'Connor and her nephew Joseph O'Connor of NH, her niece Valerie Cooper of NH, her sister-in-law Jill Widdifield of FL, her cousin Nancy (Connor) Medlicott and her husband Hamon Medlicott and their daughter Oriana Medlicott of England and other family members and many friends.


Calling hours at Lambert Funeral Home & Crematory, 1799 Elm St, corner of North St, will be Wednesday from 6 to 8 pm. It has been requested that all attendees please wear a mask and practice social distancing. A celebration of Susan's life will be held in the funeral home chapel on Thursday at 11 am. It has also been requested for those in attendance to wear bright colorful attire to commemorate Susan's colorful life. Burial will follow in her family lot in Pine Grove Cemetery, Manchester.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her memory to the Lakes Region Humane Society, 110 Old Rte 28, Ossipee, NH 03864 or to the Granite VNA, 30 Pillsbury St, Concord, NH 03301.
To send an online message of condolence, please go to www.lambertfuneralhome.com.