Susan Settlage OBITUARY

Susan Pamela Friedhof was born in Hammond, Indiana before moving to Whittier, California as a child. Sue was a product of Whittier schools including Sorenson Elementary, Dexter Middle School and Whittier High School. While at Whittier High School, Sue was active in the Girls Council, Sodalitas Latina, Scholarship Society, Future Teachers of America, Pep Committee, and the Student Representative Board and Taimos. She graduated in 1962.Sue attended Cal Poly Pomona where she earned a Bachelor's Degree in Social Science. Post graduation, she completed a WICHE internship with the Probation Department before accepting a position as a guidance counselor at the Sherman Institute, a Bureau of Indian Affairs boarding school in Riverside, California. After completing her teaching credential, she was hired by Los Angeles City Schools as a Motor Skills Development Coordinator. She taught at Grape Street School in Southeast Los Angeles while completing her Master's Degree in Education from Pepperdine University. Simultaneous to her teaching career, Sue was involved with Greek folk dancing as a dancer, costume coordinator, assistant director, lead dancer and director. From 1970 to 1978, she directed the Olympian Dancers, which at the time was the only Southern California dance group for youth. In 1978 she was hired by an international dance and music company named Avaz as their company representative. Sue was a member of the Greek dance group Panegyri, which brought into her life some of her closest friendships and the love of her life, her husband Robert Settlage. They were married in 1975 and moved back to Whittier in 1977. Sue not only grew up in Whittier, but she made it home for the vast majority of her adult life. The love she had for her community is evident in her extensive list of community involvement, which is almost impossible to list comprehensively. This includes: The Whittier Historical Society (of which she was President for the Whittier Centennial in 1987), National Charity League Whittier Chapter, Whittier Cultural Arts Commission, Whittier Cultural Arts Foundation, Art in Public Places Committee, Presbyterian Intercommunity Hospital Hospice House Guild, PEO Chapter IR, the Whittier Public Library Foundation, First Friends Church, the Rio Hondo College Foundation, Friends of the Ruth B. Shannon Center, Whittier First Night, Whittier Friends School Committee, and the American Association of University Woman. Sue also volunteered at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) as a docent for mainly school age groups from 1977 to 2007. While at LACMA, she served on the Docent Board and worked with the education department to develop curriculum and art workshops for children. Nationally, she has worked extensively for the Friends Committee on National Legislation and served on the Board of Advisors for the Earlham School of Religion. Sue was incredibly proud of all of her volunteer work and the involvement that this gave her in her community. She received many awards including: Delta Sigma Chapter "Distinguished Woman" 1999, 33rd Congressional District "Woman of the Year" 2002, 56th California Assembly District" Woman of Distinction" 2004, AAUW "Las Distinguidas Award" 2005, and Whittier Cultural Arts Foundation "Friend of the Arts" 2008. In an interview with her good friend Jean Korf, Sue was asked what she would hope God has to say as she enters the pearly gates and her response was "You did GOOD." For all of those who were affected by her active volunteerism and love of community, it is without a doubt that she "did GOOD." Sue is survived by her husband of nearly 49 years Robert Settlage, daughter Rachel Settlage, son- in- law Paul Gonzalez, grandson Alex Settlage Gonzalez, daughter Chrysanthi Leon, son- in- law Miles Leon, granddaughter Margaret Helen Leon, grandson Robert Henry Leon, daughter Amanda Settlage, granddaughter Trinity Solis, niece Debby Hebert, and great-nephews Kyle and Drake Hebert. Services will be held on Friday, July 19th at 11:00 a.m. at First Friends Church in Whittier, California where she had been a member since 1983. For those interested in attending via Zoom please contact the church office. In lieu of flowers the family ask that you consider making a donation to one of the following organizations: The Whittier Public Library Foundation, The Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL.org), or Planned Parenthood.