Suzanne Engelberg

A stylish bon vivant and spirited adventurer, Suzanne Engelberg seemed to understand from birth the magnificence of life. She traveled the world, delighting in old ruins and new friendships. She sought out the best art museums and cutting-edge restaurants. She loved all things elegant, from anniversaries at the Post Ranch Inn in Big Sur to her infamous collection of beautiful shoes.

But what meant most to Susie through the years, especially during her 18-month battle with pancreatic cancer, was her husband, Jeff Appleman; her child, Sky; and a vast army of friends. Bedridden but ever the optimist, Susie was still scouting reservations and planning excursions when she passed away at home in Tiburon on August 8.

Suzanne Eleanor Engelberg was born April 11, 1950, in Detroit, Michigan. Her grandparents died in the Holocaust, but her parents, Annemarie (Annemie) Leschnitzer and Siegfried (Fred) Engelberg, were able to escape Germany and immigrate to the U.S.

At Bagley Elementary in Detroit, Susie and her kindergarten classmates developed such deep roots that their friendships have lasted a remarkable 70 years. “All the way through our life, Susie has always been kind,’’ said Joanne Berke, Susie’s oldest friend. “She’s always been smart. No matter what she decided on doing, she did it well.”

Susie’s family moved to Farmington Hills, outside of Detroit, for high school. Fred Engelberg worked as an executive at the Shoe Corporation of America, managing 30 different shoe departments throughout the Midwest – and no doubt sparking Susie’s love affair with shoes!

At age 19, Susie followed her big brother, Steve, to San Francisco to experience the Summer of Love. She fell in love with the city. As soon as she graduated from the University of Michigan, she returned to San Francisco and never left. Susie worked in social services before enrolling at Golden Gate University School of Law, where she and Jeff met. He was immediately smitten, particularly by the luxurious salt and pepper hair cascading down her back. “That spectacular hair was her trademark, her signature,” he said.

Another Susie trademark was her constant desire to travel. One day at law school, Susie came across a flyer inviting students to spend a semester at Oxford. “We have to do this!” she said. Before you knew it, Susie and Jeff were taking classes at Oxford and touring England.

“That was so far from my wheelhouse, I could never imagine going,” Jeff said. “But Susie was always moving, always pushing me to be more adventurous. My life would have been very, very different if not for her. It would have been a much smaller life.”

After law school, Susie spent 17 years as an appellate counsel for the California Public Utilities Commission, at one point arguing in front of the California Supreme Court.

In 1981, Suzanne and Jeff were married at the Flood Mansion in Pacific Heights. Several years later, they moved to Mill Valley. When their child, Sky, was born in 1990, Susie was over the moon. She loved being a mother. She loved developing lifelong friends through pre-school at Marin Day School.

As Sky grew older, Susie took up new projects. She dove into the Mill Valley Film Festival, donating money, screening films and writing reviews. She also became obsessed with photography, spending enormous time and energy on honing her craft. She entered shows all over the world, garnering dozens of awards. She had a keen sense of color, as seen throughout her home, including the beautiful periwinkle wall in the entryway.

Susie balanced her work life with her friendships and adventures. She, Jeff and Sky traveled from Japan, Australia and Brazil to Turkey and New Zealand. They flew to New York just to see Bruce Springsteen. Susie never failed to secure tickets whenever Jackson Browne or Paul Simon performed at the Greek Theater in Berkeley.

Near the end of her life, Susie struggled to walk. But true to form, she still embraced elegance. She would greet visitors dressed to the nines — the hats, the shoes, the lovely pink cashmere sweater. With a smile on her face, Susie made sure a beautiful cheese platter, with ripe strawberries and fresh Manchego, was passed around with crisp napkins and proper utensils.

“She was so gratified by her friendships and the nurturing she received from so many people,” said Susie’s older brother, Steve Engelberg. “They brought her meals, soup, everything. That meant the world to her. She loved her friends.”

Suzanne is survived by Jeff Appleman; Sky Appleman; nephew David Appleman; brother Steve Engelberg and sister-in-law Ruth Engelberg; niece Rebecca Engelberg; nephew David Engelberg; and children Isaac and Ben Witcher and Ziggy and Oscar Engelberg.

Suzanne requested her ashes be spread on Mount Tam, where she hiked for decades. Instead of flowers, the family encourages friends to support pancreatic cancer research through The Lustgarten Foundation at 415 Crossways Park Drive, Woodbury, New York. 11797. (www.lustgarten.org)

A celebration of life will be held at Congregation Emanu-El in San Francisco on Wednesday, September 4 at 10:30 a.m.