Sylvia "Sue" Mary Duerr, 93, passed away on Saturday, January 30, 2021, in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Born in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1928, Sylvia was the daughter of the late John and Helena Sila Lukanc, both immigrants from Slovenia in the early 1900s. A kind, generous, and fun-loving woman, Sylvia never passed up a chance to make people laugh with her extensive collection of jokes (always 'clean,' she would hasten to add!). She knew how important it was to not take life too seriously. She was also passionate about politics and cared deeply for addressing and righting injustices against those most vulnerable, particularly children, immigrants, and those living with disabilities and chronic illness.
Sue had an extraordinary gift for making new friends and for cherishing her old friends. She could walk into a restaurant or store and within minutes engage in an in-depth conversation with someone working there, come away with their phone number, and stay in touch for years. A virtuoso of the telephone, Sue was famous for hours-long phone calls with family members and friends, filled with many jokes and stories.
After leaving Ohio in the late 1950s, she settled in Pasadena, California, where she met Richard "Dick" Duerr at a church social gathering. The two married in 1960, became parents to Maia (Maria) in 1961, and nurtured a loving neighborhood community for many years. Sue always made sure that neighbors who were alone and/or sick received delicious and beautifully packaged meals, and took great joy in connecting with children. She also loved to share Slovenian and other Eastern European polka music with anyone who would listen.
Sylvia was preceded in death by her beloved husband of 60 years, Richard, who died just two weeks before her. Her family and friends knew how devoted Dick and Sue were to each other, and we can take comfort in knowing that they are reunited now, forever. She was also preceded in death by her siblings: Mildred Drake, Olga "Pat" Legan, Marie "Mitz" Svrga, Helen Gosnik, and John Lukanc Jr. Sylvia is survived by her daughter, Maia Duerr, of Española, New Mexico, as well as many loving nieces and nephews around the United States.
Sylvia died of complications from COVID, joining more than 400,000 Americans who have lost their life to this virus and to the negligence and malevolence of the Trump administration. Her family would like to acknowledge that Indigenous and people of color as well as essential workers are disproportionately represented in that number, and express a wish that all who mourn her will commit to working toward a culture that values equity and racial justice. The family would like to thank the front line staff at Pacifica Senior Living for their dedicated care over the last year of Sylvia's life in Santa Fe, as well as the staff from Ambercare who provided heartfelt hospice services the last two weeks of her life.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her memory to one of her favorite causes, the Clinton Foundation (clintonfoundation.org), or to Tewa Women United (tewawomenunited.org), a Native women-led organization serving people in the Tewa homelands, Sylvia's adopted home for the last year of her life.
A memorial service and celebration of Sue and Dick's lives will be held at a later date.