On January 20, 2021, Susan Higginbotham Rehm passed away at the age of 77 in Oakland, California, due to causes related to Parkinson’s Disease, with which she courageously lived for more than 20 years. Sue was preceded in death by her husband, Dr. Lynn P. Rehm, and her brother Sanford Higginbotham.  She is survived by her daughters and sons-in-law, Elizabeth and Gary Friedman and Sarah and Keith Roberts, and her three adored grandchildren, Jackson, Eleanor, and Meredith Roberts, as well as her sisters, Sarah Elizabeth Higginbotham and Ann Higginbotham, and her brother, Stephen Higginbotham.

Sue was born on July 13, 1943 in Los Angeles to Sanford Gregory Higginbotham and Hanson Hayes Higginbotham.  She and her two brothers and two sisters grew up in Pasadena, California.  Sue attended Linda Vista Elementary School then Westridge School for Girls, where she graduated with the class of 1961.  She treasured the many lifelong friendships she made as a Westridge student.  Sue then attended the University of Southern California, where she met Lynn and fell in love.  They were married in February 1964.  Their girls were born in Wisconsin while Lynn completed his Ph.D., and then they returned briefly to southern California.  The family moved to Pittsburgh, then to Houston.  Sue worked at Montessori Country Day School with a team of extraordinary women for 25 years, many of whom became her closest friends.  She had many fond memories of children and families she grew to love throughout her career.  Sue and Lynn traveled extensively, enjoying trips to explore Australia, China, Japan, and Alaska, among many other destinations. They particularly cherished their time in Hawaii through several vacations and an extended stay in 1997, while Lynn served as a visiting professor at the University of Hawaii.

In retirement, Sue and Lynn moved to Santa Rosa, California, to be near their grandchildren and enjoyed a wonderful year of family dinners, walks and bike rides, and gardening, even hosting them for a week at “Camp Rehm” in the summer before Lynn’s passing in 2010. In 2011, Sue moved to Oakland to be closer to Sarah’s family in Piedmont, where she cheered from the sidelines of soccer and baseball games and enjoyed cooking with her grandchildren.

We will remember Sue for her sharp wit, including her humorous alternate song lyrics, her love of the beach and floating in the pool, her devotion to USC Trojan Football, and her deep love for her whole family. She will be dearly missed.

Please consider donating to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research (michaeljfox.org/donate) in lieu of flowers.