Susan Breitbard
July 23, 1941-Feb. 6, 2023
Palo Alto, California
Susan died peacefully at home on February 6, 2023, with her partner of 42 years, Leo Kadehjian, by her side. Susan was an avid reader, cellist, artist, gardener, wonderful cook, birder, and beloved mother and grandmother. She loved art and nature, and shared the beauty of both with those around her. Susan had quietly suffered from Rheumatoid Arthritis-Interstitial Lung Disease (an auto-immune disorder of the lungs) for many years, but had a significant decline in her health over the past few months.
Susan was born in Cebu, Philippines on July 23, 1941. Her parents were Ruth Rodin of Philadelphia and Gregory Sevilla of the Philippines. Her father was a military officer and life was not easy for her American mother and young children overseas during World War II. For the first eight years of her life, Susan, her mother, older sister Christine, and younger brother David had to hide from the Japanese, who were on the lookout for Americans and would imprison them if caught. Shortly after the end of the war, her father returned unharmed from a Japanese internment camp, but then was tragically shot and killed in their home by a botched robbery attempt.
Upon returning to the U.S., Susan and her siblings were sent to live at a lovely boarding house for orphans in Pennsylvania so their widowed mother could work to support them. Despite these childhood hardships, Susan excelled academically and graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia with a BA in English and a minor in Art. Shortly after graduation, Susan moved to Berkeley, California. In 1964, she met Gary Breitbard, and the two were soon married. After a few years, the couple moved to Menlo Park for Gary's work, and Susan blossomed into the art scene – painting, printing, sculpting, and offering a toy-making class at the newly-formed Mid-Peninsula Free University. She also started playing cello, a true joy throughout her life.
As Gary's work project wound down and the Vietnam War intensified, Susan and Gary moved to France for Gary to take a position at the University of Grenoble. There, Susan gave birth to daughter Rebecca in 1970. After 2 ½ years in France, Susan and Gary spent a year in Philadelphia living with Susan's mother, Ruth. Their son, Aaron, was born there in 1972. Next, they migrated back to the Bay Area, this time to Palo Alto, in the house where Susan lived for the rest of her life.
In Palo Alto with two young kids, Susan took up making pottery. She had an extensive workshop at the house, including a wheel and two kilns, to create her ceramic wares. Susan also continued to play cello, including playing chamber music with local musician friends. She started attending summer chamber music workshops held in northern California, including one held at Humboldt State University. Susan and Gary separated in 1977. A couple of years later Susan found a new love, Leo, through music. They started as friends playing in an amateur quartet (Leo playing first violin), and soon were a couple. They continued to play in a quartet throughout her life, and attended the week-long music workshop at Humboldt every summer until the pandemic hit. When they returned one last time in 2022, Susan's RA had progressed so much that she attended as a listener rather than a participant.
Susan was able to convert her art background into a career; she was a successful graphic designer for books at Wadsworth and Mayfield Publishing Company. In addition to paintings and drawings, Susan also took her artistry into the kitchen, creating wonderful meals spanning many cultures. Susan loved good books - you could always find one in her hand and several on her nightstand. And she was active in her book club, greatly enjoying their regular meetings (either in person or via Zoom). Susan was also a frequent attendee of concerts in the Bay Area, such as the Alexander Quartet, and art exhibits - especially enjoying those that combined art and flowers, such as the annual Bouquets to Art exhibit in San Francisco. Leo and Susan traveled extensively, going to the south of France and Italy, hiking in Yosemite, and taking road trips around California on their own and with her kids and her mother when she visited.
When her grandchildren arrived, Susan was tickled to once again take advantage of her creative skills. On extended summer trips to Lake Almanor or Donner Lake, ski trips in the mountains, or just when visiting her kids, Susan would arrive equipped with bins of craft projects for the kids and fun baking ideas.
Susan is survived by her partner Leo; two children, Rebecca Breitbard and Aaron Breitbard; her daughter-in-law, Melissa; grandchildren: Emma, Lucas, Anya, and Charlie; ex-husband, Gary Breitbard (Jena Rauti); nieces and nephews, Jon Drake, Sis Bolivar, Julie Drake and Steven Drake; as well as family on Gary's side, who continued to be important in her life.
