Susan earned her degree from the University of Wisconsin in Madison, launching a lifelong passion for the arts. She was a talented watercolor painter and an internationally recognized fiber and textile artist known widely for her remarkable art quilts. Her artwork was featured in esteemed quilting publications, notably earning the Silver Award at the 1998 Quilt Nihon Exhibition in Tokyo, Japan.
Her life was enriched by marriage to Sandy Weeks, lasting 25 years, and later to Darrell Strickland, her loving husband of 30 years, who survives her. Susan was a loving mother to four children: Christopher (Angie) Weeks, Theodore (Julie) Weeks, Jess (Cristine) Strickland and Kim (Daniel) Hickey. She had eleven grandchildren and one great grandchild with another on the way. She was preceded in death by her father Ernest Drake, her mother Sybil Drake and her brother Ladd Drake.
Outside of art, Susan was passionate about whale watching, the majestic buffalo in Yellowstone, and was known for her culinary talents. Actively involved in the community, Susan was a beloved member of, The Colorado West Quilt Association, The Raven Mavens, The Art Quilt Association, Western Slope Quilters, Sunset Slope Quilters, and Little Bits.
A Celebration of Susan's vibrant life will be held on June 25, 2025, at 2:00 PM at Callahan Edfast, 2515 Patterson Rd, Grand Junction, CO 81505.
Susan will be dearly missed by all who knew her, but her legacy lives on through her art and the lives she touched.