WAKEFIELD- Susan Christine Mathieu, age 76 of Wakefield, New Hampshire, passed away peacefully on December 25, 2025, at the Gosnell Hospice House. She was born on January 30, 1949, in Sanford, Maine, to Robert and Isabelle Livingstone Mathieu.
Susan grew up in Sanford alongside her brother and her first best friend, Ernest Mathieu Sr. Full of life from the start, she marched to the beat of her own drum, often leading her brother and, and earning her nicknames like “The Boss”. The oldest of all her cousins, Susan was naturally in charge. she spent cherished summers in northern Maine visiting with them at their grandparents, swimming, picking blueberries, reading, and enjoying all things nature. At home, she could often be found with her childhood best friend, Judy Garnsey, playing tennis, riding bikes, and spending long days at the beach.
After graduating at the top of her class from Sanford High School in 1968, Susan attended Nasson College while working at Sprague Electric. She later transferred to SMTC to pursue a career in healthcare, interning at Maine Medical Center before graduating and securing a position at the Path Lab. She worked there until her career was cut short by Chronic Rheumatoid Arthritis and later Congestive Heart Failure. True to her determined nature, Susan did not let illness define her. She purchased a condo in Rochester near her brother and later her beloved home in Wakefield, which became her refuge. She maintained a fiercely independent life.
Susan shared her homes and her heart with the most important beings in her life, her pets, who were like her children. Susan rescued many animals over the years ….Cats, dogs, and birds-and devoted herself to their care with boundless love.
A lifelong learner, Susan took classes, read voraciously, and educated herself in countless areas, Including Real Estate, Medical, Financial, psychology, Animal everything, and self-help. This curiosity led to one of her greatest passions: the economy and the stock market. She built a decades-long, successful career as a long-term and day-trading investor, remaining active in the stock market until just days before passing. She generously shared her knowledge with her brother Ernest and later with her niece-in-law Julia and great-nephew Cam.
Independent, strong-willed, determined, economically and politically opinionated, and deeply compassionate, Susan was truly one of a kind. A self-described original 60’s hippie, she once set off after graduation in a Volkswagen bus to travel across the country to California “to see how the stars lived.” She spoke of this adventure with a devilish grin, always saying it taught her the most important life lessons.
Susan loved all things beautiful-music, art, jewelry, clothing, a good movie and travel. She was a collector of books, furniture and information. She treasured her travels on cruises and abroad with her beloved Mother Isabelle, Uncle Don and Aunt Vi Livingstone. She cherished her days at the beach and relaxing on her deck at home, soaking up the sun with her pets. She delighted in shopping for her favorite things, especially finding her next great bargain. She also shared her love of jewelry with her niece Joanne.
In her later years, Susan enjoyed family barbecues, Netflix movies and documentaries, deck time with her kitties, visiting relatives, and spending time with her nephew and family at the lake in Acton, Maine. She also cherished moments with dear friends Frank and Edna Onishuck and their daughters Liz and Kate in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire. Edna was the sister Susan always wished she had. Despite the miles between them, she remained close with her Livingstone cousins too.
A true philanthropist, Susan shared her success generously, donating hundreds of thousands of dollars over the decades to causes close to her heart. These included Habitat for Humanity, Audubon Society, Doctors Without Borders, Reporters Without Borders, ASPCA, Peaceful Valley Donkey Rescue, IWF, Wounded Warriors, Vet Dogs, PETA, Nature Conservancy, Diane Fossey Foundation, numerous children’s charities, and many animal rescues.
Susan was predeceased by her parents, Robert and Isabelle Mathieu, and her brother Ernest Mathieu in 2014. She is survived by her nephew Ernest Mathieu and his wife Julia of Acton, Maine; her niece Joanne Murray and her fiancé Todd Brown of Sanford, Maine; her great-nephews Cameron Mathieu and Jesse Burley; and her great step-nephews Jake and Zach. She was lovingly known as “Auntie” and will be deeply missed.
A memorial service will be held in the springtime, in lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to either your favorite charity in Susan’s memory or to one of Susan’s favorite charities.
Arrangements have been entrusted to Chad E. Poitras Cremation and Funeral Service, East Waterboro, www.mainefuneral.com