Susan Bailey was born on February 15, 1943, in Waxahachie, TX, the daughter of Jack and Lillian Southerland. She attended school in San Antonio, TX, Meridian, Mississippi, and Stamford, TX. She continued her formal education at Baylor University in Waco, TX from 1960-1964, earning a Bachelor of Sciences Degree in Business Administration. She taught high school business in Cincinnati, OH, San Bernardino, CA and Fontana, CA, where she produced music for small bands and large scale high school musicals. She was voted Teacher of the Year by her students year after year. Later, she become Certified in Floral Design, licensed in Real Estate in California, and served within her congregations of Jehovah's Witnesses as a community volunteer in sharing her strong faith in God and His promises. During the last 10 years she additionally served on the Executive Board of Directors of the Bear League of Lake Tahoe, as assistant to the executive director, and on the Bear League's Advisory Board in 2011.

Susan is survived by her sister and best friend, Jacque, and her husband, Tim Avery, of Waxahachie, TX, her precious daughter, Tishri Grace (Gracie) of Waxahachie, TX, her loving step-daughter Lisa Bailey Holm and her husband, Mark, their children, Joshua Holm of Lake Tahoe, CA and Rachel Holm of Reno, NV, two nephews whom she loved as her own, Joel Avery and his wife Sarah of Lake Tahoe, CA and Taylor Avery of Waxahachie, TX, her ex-husband and father of Lisa and Gracie, Peter Bailey of Port Orford, OR, one aunt, Jeanne Trumbull, many cousins, and her two very special dogs, Anya and Dmytry.

Susan devoted herself to giving of herself to Gracie so that Gracie could live a happy life, dividing their time between Lake Tahoe and Texas. Together their lives were filled with family, friends, fun, laughter, animals, flowers, and the out of doors. Susan was at her best when reaching out to people in need, directly from her heart. She touched them all in her own special way. Her death leaves a space that will never be filled by another person.