Obituary of Suzanne Clery Treadway

Suzanne Clery Treadway, of Essex, Connecticut, died Monday, August 15, at the age of 93. She was a gallant, feisty lady with a fierce honesty and a wonderful sense of humor. Suzanne was born Suzanne Culbertson Clery in Plandome, Long Island, N.Y., to her parents the late Edward Decatur Clery and Irma Jamison Elvin. She spent her early life in Plandome under her grandfather’s care, but then moved to Fort Worth, Texas where she was raised by her aunt and uncle, Ruth and Van Zant Smith. Suzanne graduated from The Madeira School in 1937 and Smith College in 1940, where she received a bachelor’s degree in Art History. In 1944 she was married to Christian A. Herter Jr., son of U.S. Secretary of State Christian A. Herter Sr., with whom she had one daughter, Jamison, and two sons, Christian and Geoffrey. The marriage ended in divorce. She later married Richard Treadway, which also ended in divorce. Over the years Suzanne spent her time at her homes in Brookline, Mass., Washington, Manchester-by-the-Sea, Mass., and most recently in Essex, Conn., where her son Geoffrey also resides. She enjoyed reading, needlepoint, and genealogy. Suzanne was a past member of The Country Club in Brookline, Mass., The Chilton Club of Boston, the Ladies Committee at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, the Ladies Visiting Committee at Massachusetts General Hospital, the Red Cross Motor Corp, and spent many hours volunteering at hospitals throughout the Boston area. Suzanne is survived by her two sons Christian A. Herter III of Freeport, Maine and Dr. Geoffrey Herter of Essex, Conn.; eight grandchildren and three great grandchildren. She is predeceased by her daughter Jamison “Jamie” Herter Cherington. A family memorial will be held at the Riverview Cemetery in Essex, Conn., on Sunday August 28 at 11:30am. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Essex Meadows Scholarship Fund, Essex Meadows, 30 Bokum Road, Essex, Conn., 06426; and St. Bonaventure Indian Mission & School, P.O. Box 610, Thoreau, N.M., 87323-0610.