Suzanne C. Trueblood ’77 died on October 10, 2021, in Erie, Colorado.

(The following was provided by The News Journal on October 20, 2021)

Suzanne C. Trueblood ’77

Suzanne C. Trueblood, D.Ed., formerly of Brandywine Hundred, passed away at home on October 10, 2021, in Erie, Colorado, after an eleven-month battle with glioblastoma. Suzanne was born November 22, 1954, in St. Louis, MO, and moved to Wilmington in 1981 after her marriage to Gary Lehr. Suzanne graduated from Rhode Island School of Design in 1978 with a BFA in photography. She ran a custom B&W darkroom business in her home while raising her young children. In addition to doing work for numerous professional photographers, she reproduced historic photographs for the Delaware Historical Society. Suzanne was active in Saint Mark’s Lutheran Church and was a registered scout leader in BSA Pack 99 and BSA Troop 99 in Bellefonte, DE. As her sons grew older she became interested in education, earning a masters of education degree from Widener University in 1999. She taught English and Study Skills at Del Tech while pursuing her degree before becoming a teacher at Centerville School. Between 1999 and 2005 she ran Trueblood Academy in her home in Windybush, enrolling six students who were struggling with a variety of learning difficulties. With the encouragement of her husband, she returned to Widener to pursue a doctorate in education (2008). She taught at Layton Preparatory School and was in private practice as an educational clinician while researching her doctoral thesis. Her thesis identified over twenty distractions that prevent students from being actively engaged in learning and developed strategies to overcome these learning differences and become successful learners. Suzanne subsequently taught classroom management, behavioral support and supervised student teachers at University of Delaware Department of Human Development and Family Studies from 2010 to 2015.

With the birth of twin grandsons, Suzanne and her husband moved to Colorado in 2015. Suzanne enjoyed skiing, running in 5K and 10K races and hiking in Rocky Mountain National Park while she helped care for her grandchildren. She became a voracious knitter and taught classes at her local yarn shop. Suzanne was most passionate about her family. She would cook multiple Thanksgiving dinners for crowds of meat eaters, vegetarians and vegans who she opened her home to. She especially enjoyed presiding over the distribution of presents at Christmas. She is survived by her husband of forty years, Gary Lehr, her son Jacob Lehr and his wife, Katherine, grandsons Milo and Quinn Lehr, her son J. Tyson Lehr, her son Aaron Lehr and his wife, Lisa, her brother, W. Tyson Trueblood, and sisters Lee Pommer and Elizabeth Trueblood, as well as cousins, nieces and nephews.