Suzanne Duda Cutler of Duxbury passed away on October 10, 2024, due to complications from leukemia. She was 81.

Suzanne was born on March 4, 1943, along with her "younger" twin sister, Judy, in Abilene, Texas, to Colonel Edward Duda and Margaret Kilgore Duda. The Duda twins, and their older sister Deborah, called San Antonio home but traveled frequently as their father's distinguished Army career took him to military bases around the country. She spent part of her childhood in Surrey, England while her father served as military attaché to the United States Embassy in London after World War II.

Suzanne often fondly recalled her days as an "Army Brat," which included shopping in the local commissary with her mom, or learning to handle a rifle and hunt with her dad. One of her favorite places was the Quadrangle at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, where friendly deer and strutting peacocks mingled with visitors under the historic clock tower.

As a child, Suzanne overcame a serious case of polio in the days before the polio vaccine was widely available, and still felt the aftereffects many years later. She attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Miami University of Ohio, and earned her bachelor's degree from Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas.

Soon after college she took a job in Washington, D.C. working for the United States Department of State. During this time, she met David S. Cutler, a young U.S. Marine Lieutenant recently returned from Vietnam who was stationed in Quantico, Virginia.

The couple were married in 1968 and later moved back to David's hometown of Duxbury. Starting in 1972, Suzanne helped launch the Marshfield Mariner, a weekly community newspaper. Her official title was advertising manager, but she wore many hats and often balanced her duties with her young son Joshua straddled on one hip. The business grew, and additional newspapers were added. Her son Benjamin came along a few years later and she continued to juggle her many roles. She often brought her boys to the office, and they would entertain themselves by crawling through the wooden paste-up boards used to lay out the paper in the days before desktop computers.

After an amicable divorce, Suzanne decided to return home to San Antonio, Texas and help care for her aging parents. She continued her newspaper career and focused her energies on raising her sons, introducing them to the Quadrangle, Texas rodeos, and authentic flour tortillas.

Suzanne eventually returned to Massachusetts so her boys would be near their dad, and she transitioned from the newspaper industry to a career in non-profit fundraising. She worked as a development officer at Brandeis University and director of development at Brigham and Women's Hospital.

After several years Suzanne decided she wanted to follow her passions and try something new. She left her comfortable job at the Brigham to open a small retail store in Norwell called Remedies. Her shop offered a range of all-natural and homeopathic products as well as classes on holistic medicine. Remedies developed a loyal customer following, but the business was a few years ahead of its time and she eventually had to close. Suzanne returned to the world of development and found a meaningful role as director of fundraising for the National Consumer Law Center in Boston.

After retirement Suzanne moved from Hingham to Pembroke and became active at the Pembroke Senior Center. She launched a book club and served as President of the Friends of the Council on Aging. She also poured her energies into gardening and turned part of her backyard into a chicken coop, always sharing fresh eggs with her friends and neighbors.

Suzanne was active politically throughout her life and felt a deep sense of civic responsibility, which she instilled in her children. While serving as chairwoman of the South Shore chapter of the National Organization for Women (NOW) Suzanne led rallies for women's reproductive health care and a successful boycott against a Boston radio station segment that was degrading women. She was also active with the South Shore Women's Business Network.

Later in life Suzanne was active helping her son Josh's successful run for the state legislature. She served as campaign treasurer and always found time for stuffing envelopes, writing postcards, and holding campaign signs. During election season she could frequently be found by the local Dunkin' Donuts holding her handmade sign: "Please vote for my son!"

Suzanne spent her final years at the Village at Duxbury and cherished the friendships she made there. She loved to do puzzles, read books, and walk her dog, Banjo, a charming rescue dog from Tennessee. Over the years Suzanne shared many different hobbies including collecting rocks and gems, basketmaking, baking, papermaking, gardening, and raising chickens. Her greatest joy was spending time with her two boys, and later her grandchildren, Charlie, Alex, Jake, and Delilah.

Suzanne is predeceased by her mother and father, and her sister Judy. She is survived by her sister Deborah Duda of Mexico, Josh Cutler and Lori Sullivan of Duxbury, Benjamin and Nancy Cutler of Larchmont, New York, and her grandchildren, Charlie, Alex, Jake and Delilah Cutler.

Visiting hours will be held on Sunday October 27 from 4pm to 6pm at the MacDonald Funeral Home, 1755 Ocean St, Marshfield, MA 02359. A Celebration of Life will be held Monday, October 28 at 10:00am at the MacDonald Funeral Home.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Buddy & Friends Animal Rescue, 275 Oak Street, Pembroke, MA, 02359 or online at: https://buddyandfriendsma.org/