- Date Of Birth: July 25, 1947
- Date Of Death: October 7, 2009
- State: Connecticut
Susan Rubel, 62, of Middletown, passed away on Wednesday, October 7th. Over the past few years Susan put up a valiant fight against the cancer that had invaded her body. Ultimately however, the disease robbed us all of a wonderful, beautiful person. She was a beloved mother, wife, sister, and aunt; a trend-setting educator; and a gifted musician. Susan is survived by her loving husband, Lee Osborne, and her two devoted sons, Michael Osborne and David Osborne. The youngest of three, she is survived by her two brothers and sisters-in-law, Ron and Judith Rubel of Madison and Gene and Myrna Rubel of Atlanta. She also leaves behind adoring nieces, nephews, grandnieces, and grand nephews to whom she will be remembered as the captivating “Aunt Suzie”, the “Pied Piper” of the family She is predeceased by her father, Adolph Rubel, her mother, Hadassah Rubel, and her step-mother, Fannie Rubel, all of New York City. Susan was born in Queens, New York. She attended Forest Hills High School, and then graduated in 1969 from Queens College with a degree in Elementary Education. Before putting her degree to work in the United States, she moved to a small kibbutz in Israel. Her experience in Israel cemented her love of Judaism, Israel, and the Hebrew language. She then moved back to the United States, where she gained her Master’s Degree in Special Education from Leslie College in Cambridge, Massachusetts. While this time was important for launching her professional career as an educator, it was also then that Susan joined the folk music scene of Boston. She shone as a multi-talented musician and leader. Through contra dancing Susan also became involved with Camp Interlocken, a quirky summer camp in New Hampshire, which was designed to enrich the lives of young people through activities that Susan loved: music, creativity, and utter silliness. Perhaps the most important event that took place while Susan was in Boston was that she laughed at a joke told by a man she had met at a dinner party. This simple act led directly to her marriage to W. Lee Osborne, an incorrigible punster who matched Susan in his love of life, energy, and kindness. Lee and Susan married in 1981 and moved to Ivoryton, Connecticut, where Susan found work as a teacher in a Special Education classroom in Regional School District 4. Susan devoted the remainder of her professional life to the elementary and middle school students in that same school district. Never one to be content with the status quo, Susan became involved with several progressive educational initiatives. Neither skepticism from her colleagues in the field nor food poisoning could keep Susan from appearing before groups of educators from as far away as Nome Alaska and Tegucigalpa, Honduras. Susan will always be remembered as a person who suffused her personal and professional life with exuberance and curiosity.
