Susan R. Lanford

Susan Raines Lanford, a beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and friend, passed away peacefully on June 27, 2025, in Duluth, GA, at the age of 70. Born on December 7, 1954, in Palestine, TX, Susan lived a vibrant and joyful life marked by deep compassion, adventurous spirit, and boundless love for her family and community.

A graduate of Texas Tech University with a Bachelor of Science in Child Development and Home Economics, Susan dedicated much of her career to helping others, working as an administrative assistant in various roles, including positions with Phillips Petroleum, Cigna Insurance, Richmond Tankcar, and finally Chesney Elementary, where she joyfully served for 19 years. Whether in the office or the home, Susan’s warmth, energy, and laughter lit up every room she entered.

Susan was a proud and active member of Beta Sigma Phi and served as President of the U.S. Naval Academy Parents Club of Georgia, always giving of herself with unmatched enthusiasm and heart. She was a woman of many interests and talents—an avid photographer, passionate stargazer, painter, embroiderer, traveler, geology enthusiast, aquarium visitor, bird watcher, and lover of classic cinema. Life with Susan was always colorful, spontaneous, and full of joy.

Raised in the Baptist faith, Susan carried a strong moral compass and an open heart, welcoming everyone she met as if they were part of her family. She had a unique ability to make others feel safe, supported, and unconditionally loved. Her sense of humor was legendary—she delighted in laughter, even (and especially) at her own expense. A self-described “cheerleader for life,” Susan believed in living fully, loving deeply, and always making room for a little whimsy.

Susan is survived by her devoted husband of 42 years, Richard Lanford; her loving children, Nicholas Lanford and Michelle Tanalega; her cherished granddaughter, Evelyn Rose Tanalega; and a community of dear friends and extended family who were all touched by her generous spirit. She was preceded in death by her parents, Raymond Ernest Raines and Bobbie Evelyn Raines.

A celebration of Susan’s life will be held at Wages & Sons in Lawrenceville, Georgia on Saturday, July 12, 2025, at 1:00 PM. The family warmly invites attendees to wear purple, Susan’s favorite color, in her honor. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Susan’s name—a reflection of her enduring compassion for children and those in need.

Susan often said, “Never allow yourself to be too old, too mature, too stuffy, too busy to have a little fun every day. Also, life is too short to be overdressed all the time. Relax and live a little! Formality can be highly overrated!” Her life was a living example of those words.

Susan Raines Lanford lived with joy, loved with intention, and left this world far brighter than she found it. She will be deeply missed and forever remembered.