Georgia Writers Museum is saddened to learn of the passing of Suzanne Smith. Together, with her family and friends we will keep her memory alive by inspiring future writers. Thank you for your kindness, support, and generosity.
– Melissa Swindell, Executive Director of Georgia Writers Museum
Georgia Writers Museum is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
EIN 46-2127922
PO Box 3429, Eatonton, GA 31024
Helen Suzanne Smith of Decatur, GA passed away on October 28, 2023. Suzanne was born on June 16, 1964 in Atlanta, Georgia and grew up in Roswell, Georgia. She graduated from Roswell High School as Valedictorian in 1982 and was awarded the Atlanta Journal Cup. Suzanne received a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Political Science, Summa Cum Laude, from Yale University in 1986 and a Juris Doctorate from the University of California Berkeley, School of Law in 1989.
Suzanne was admitted to the State Bar of Georgia in 1989 and joined Alston & Bird in Atlanta, Georgia that same year. She was Counsel there when she retired in 2019. She was very involved with the Georgia YLD High School Mock Trial Competition for many years and served as Chair of this statewide Georgia Bar committee in 1997-1998 and as a member of the host committee for the 2009 National Competition. Suzanne also served as President of the Yale Club of Georgia and on the Editorial Board of the American Bar Association’s Antitrust Source Committee.
As a young girl Suzanne was fascinated by family stories and, as an adult, she researched genealogy as a passionate hobby, tracing family immigrants back centuries and finding the towns they came from in Europe, as well as researching the Native American backgrounds of her family’s ancestors.
Suzanne loved reading and being surrounded by books. She was always simultaneously reading at least 3 or 4 books. She was a great writer and was in the middle of writing her first novel, among many other writing projects. She loved crafts and trivia contests, participating in a monthly craft group and on various family and friends trivia teams.
Suzanne grew up attending Roswell First Baptist Church in Roswell, Georgia. When she moved to Decatur, Georgia, she joined Druid Hills Baptist Church and eventually became a Deacon at that church. She fought for equality in and out of the church. She didn’t attend church for the social experience. She believed the church was there to serve and Suzanne felt more comfortable acting on her Christianity rather than talking about it, doing things like organizing meals for the homeless or doing errands for an elderly person. She respected all religions and never tried to force her beliefs on anyone. She just loved and served, leaving the rest to God.
Suzanne was incredibly generous, supporting numerous charitable causes. Given her longtime work with high school students in the Georgia High School Mock Trial Competition and her loves of reading, writing, and language in general, the family is establishing a writing event/program in her name.
Thus, in lieu of flowers, the family asks for donations in Suzanne’s name to the Georgia Writers Museum in Eatonton, GA, a charitable organization whose vision is: To be the state’s foremost resource for Georgia readers and writers. All funds donated in Suzanne’s honor will be used to create a new writing event/program in her name for writers and high school students in Georgia. You can visit Suzanne’s page and donate online at: https://www.georgiawritersmuseum.org/in-fond-memory/
Suzanne is survived by her parents, (Barbara and Richard), her brother Rick (wife Carrie), her niece (Haley), nephews (Xander and Wesley), and many aunts, uncles, and cousins. Suzanne loved her family and her family loves her and misses her love.
A visitation for Suzanne will be held Monday, November 6, 2023 from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM at Roswell Funeral Home, 950 Mansell Road, Roswell, GA 30076, followed by a funeral service at 2:00 PM.
