On Tuesday January 21, Susan’s Croll’s three-year struggle with cancer and her lifetime of work for a better world for all came to an end. She died as she wanted, at home, overlooking the Fraser River and in the arms of her lifelong partner Jim Sinclair. She was 62 years old.
Born in Montreal to Joan and Bill Croll in 1957, she spent her early years in Chambly before moving to Vancouver in 1972 where her father, a CN rail engineer and union activist, had been transferred. She would spend the rest of her life in Vancouver.
Both her mother and father instilled in her early on a sense of justice, fairness and respect for working people that she carried with her for her entire life. Her rebellion against unfairness and discrimination started early in life when she was expelled from elementary school for wearing pants, something girls were not allowed to do.
While she started university after high school, she soon found the rest of the world more interesting. She began work in a series of jobs, including custodial work in Burnaby, a box manufacturing plant in Richmond and on the CN railway.
She landed at the BC Telephone Company where she became an operator and then president of the largest local of the Telephone Workers Union (TWU). She was a strong feminist her entire life and during her time at BC Tel she led the fight to successfully open male-dominated “craft” jobs to women.
Her passion for social justice went beyond the workplace, including becoming one of the leaders of Women Against the Budget during the Solidarity movement in 1983 and in solidarity work with Central America, including visiting Nicaragua and organizing for Tools for Peace. She campaigned energetically for progressive candidates in dozens of municipal, provincial and federal elections over a lifetime.
But it would be the birth of her son Lee Andrew Croll in 1987 that would change her life direction. He opened up her love for children and she returned to Simon Fraser University where she finished her BA with honours and received her teaching degree. She would continue her education earning two master’s degrees later in life).
She began her teaching career working on call in Maple Ridge in 1994. She received a permanent position as a result of the language in the BCTF collective agreement protecting learning conditions that resulted in an oversized class being turned into two classes.
She quickly became involved in the British Columbia Teachers Federation (BCTF) and after two decades teaching she was elected full time vice-president of the Maple Ridge Teachers’ Association, a position she held until 2013 when she was appointed editor of Teacher magazine, the flagship publication of the BCTF. Susan was a beautiful writer and an excellent editor. Under her editorship the magazine won many awards from the Canadian Association of Labour Media.
She was also passionate about the outdoors and in particular loved the ocean and mountains. She spent many summers kayaking with friends on the west coast of Vancouver Island, making her last trip with son Lee two years ago. She loved swimming and walking.
For more than 30 years Susan’s home away from home was the family cabin on Hollyburn Mountain. She loved hiking the trails, swimming in the cold lakes and enjoying many a good meal and glass of wine with family and friends.
Despite a diagnosis of terminal cancer in January of 2019 and constant chemo treatments, Susan returned to family roots in Scotland, visited friends in Mexico and England, and spent three weeks enjoying Italy during her remaining time.
Strong willed, some might say stubborn, Susan decided she was going enjoy the “best Christmas ever” at her own home on the banks of the Fraser River and left the hospital for home on Dec 18.
She was predeceased by her parents Joan and Bill Croll and is survived by her son Lee (Adrianna), her brother Tom (Donna), her brother-in-law Sandy Sinclair (Amanda) and her partner Jim and her many, many “precious friends” who she loved and was loved by.
The family wants to thank the Cancer Agency staff and the Fraser Health Authority staff both in the community and at the Royal Columbian Hospital for their great care and support. They also want to thank healthcare workers Anita, Jaibun, Leah and Akie, whose wonderful care and love made it possible for Susan to realize her wish to remain at home until she died.
Donations in lieu of flowers can be made to the Lookout Foundation - Susan Croll Education Fund, 544 Columbia Street, New Westminster, B.C., V3L 1B1. Donations can also be made online at lookoutsociety.ca. Susan was a board member of the Lookout Society. The fund’s purpose is to organize and support the educational needs of residents.
A Celebration of Life will be held February 9 beginning at 1:30 pm at the La Perla Ballroom #204 – 810 Quayside Drive, New Westminster (paid parking at Inn of the Quay).