Suzanne (Finke) McInerney

Suzanne (Finke) McInerney

Suzanne McInerney passed away on Wednesday, September 3 ^rd , in Mechanicsburg, PA.  Suzanne is survived by her children: Stephen Schreiber, husband to Karen Tantay, of Philadelphia, PA; Ronda Schreiber, wife to Jim Tolley, of Poway, CA; Anne Schreiber of Chicago, IL; David Schreiber, husband to Carol Stutz, of Los Angeles, CA; Kathleen Zimmerman, wife to Eric Zimmerman, of Mechanicsburg, PA; and John McInerney, husband to Melissa McInerney, of Palmyra, PA.  Suzanne was also the loving grandmother and Omi to Joey, Taylor, Ayden and Hannah McInerney, Holden and Beck Zimmerman, and Molly Schreiber.  Suzanne was preceded in death by her late husbands, Ted Frazeur and Joseph McInerney.  Suzanne is also survived by her first husband, Sidney Schreiber.

Suzanne was born in the town of Novo Zlatopol, Ukraine, in 1937.  She was the only child of Walter Finke and Johanna Dyck, refugees from the war in Europe.  Her father was a physician and her mother a sculptor.  After fleeing the Soviet Union just prior to the outbreak of World War II, they eventually settled in Rochester, NY, where Suzanne’s father started a practice as a physician.  Suzanne grew up and went to school in Rochester, where she met and married her first husband.

Suzanne went on to have six children and seven grandchildren.  While raising her children, she returned to college to finish her Bachelor’s degree, and went on to earn a Master’s degree in Humanities.  She then pursued a career as a writer and editor, working for a number of years for the Pennsylvania Historical Museum Commission.  After finding life-saving clinical trials for both her mother and daughter, she co-authored Infomedicine (Little Brown, 1996), a guidebook for helping families understand and research treatment options for major illnesses.

Her love of Cape Cod brought her to Brewster, MA in 2000.  She enjoyed a rich and fulfilling cultural and political life there, attending concerts, serving on several local boards, and working to preserve the Cape’s pristine beauty and unique character.  She served on the Brewster Zoning Board of Appeals, the Brewster Ladies’ Library board, and the Brewster Cultural Council.  At the age of 74, Suzanne was elected to the Brewster Planning Board.

Suzanne’s family would like to express our deepest gratitude to those who have helped us in caring for our mother in these past few years, including her loyal friends on Cape Cod, the staff at Harbor Point in Centerville, MA, the loving and caring staff of Country Meadows in Mechanicsburg, and Betsy LeGrand, whose kindness, generosity and music lifted our mother’s spirit in her last days.  Suzanne’s warmth, determination, generosity of spirit, and perseverance carried her through her entire life, from a baby fleeing war with her parents, to a 76-year-old bravely holding onto herself in the face of debilitating dementia.  These qualities continue to inspire her children and grandchildren today.

Services will be held Monday September 8 ^th at Suzanne’s home at 21 Old Cemetery Road, Brewster, MA.  Family will be receiving guests at the home beginning at 1:00 p.m.  Services begin at 2:30 p.m., and commitment in Pine Grove Cemetery, adjacent to the house, will follow.  A Celebration of Life Reception & Open House will be held on Saturday, September 13th from 12:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m.  at the Zimmerman Family Home at 229 Cherokee Drive, Mechanicsburg, PA.  In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to the Lewy Body Dementia Association ( www.lbda.org ) or The Brewster Conservation Trust ( brewsterconservationtrust.org ).

Suzanne’s family has entrusted her care to Myers – Buhrig Funeral Home and Crematory in Mechanicsburg, PA, (717) 766-3421.  Read Suzanne’s full obituary, view her memorial video and portrait, and sign her official guest book at www.Myers-Buhrig.com .