02/19/2026
IN OUR CARE
Susan Hill Birge died on February 16th, 2026 at her home in Concord, MA. She is survived by her husband of 65 years, Walter W. Birge III, her son, Jesse Birge, her nephew Peter Black, and her sister Ellen Senich. She is predeceased by her mother Eleanor Lucas, her father Charles Hill, and her stepfather Walter Lucas.
She was born in Cambridge, MA at Mount Auburn hospital in 1939. Her childhood was spent living with her maternal grandparents in Belmont, MA. She moved to Woodstock, CT where she attended Woodstock Academy, winning top academic awards in various subjects. Susan attended Radcliffe College and received her A.B. from Harvard Extension in 1983. While at Radcliffe, she was an active volunteer at Phillips Brooks House in Cambridge where she met her soon to be husband Walter who asked her to type a paper he had written as his typing skills were poor. She continued to support the organization throughout her life.
After living in Wilton, CT, Walter and Susan moved to New York City in 1970 when Walter became a headmaster at the Town School. In the 12 years that they lived in Manhattan, Susan enjoyed walking around the city, going to Bloomingdale’s, and taking the bus to Lord & Taylor.
Susan moved to Concord when Walter became the headmaster of The Fenn School. While in Concord, Susan volunteered at the Concord Public Library, attended Trinity Church, and quilted with Concord Piecemakers Quilt Guild. She was also a skilled needle worker and had chaired a large needlepoint project at the Church of the Epiphany while in New York.
One of Susan’s greatest pleasures were her summers on Nantucket living in a house that she helped design in 1970. She enjoyed working on the Sunday NYT crossword puzzle, was an avid reader, loved football, and never missed an episode of Jeopardy!
Family and friends will gather to honor and remember Susan for her funeral service on Saturday, February 28, 2026, at 11:00 am in Trinity Episcopal Church, 81 Elm Street, Concord. A reception will follow in the parish hall.
In lieu of flowers, contributions in her honor may be made to:
Phillips Brooks House
1 Harvard Yard
Cambridge, MA 02138
617-495-5526
www.pbha.org
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