On March 9, 2018, at 10:45 a.m., a precious, irrepressible, irresistible and irreplaceable spirit, Susan Deborah Feeney, left us and achieved her transition into a better world.

Susan was an accomplished attorney, an animal lover, a brilliant writer, blogger and passionate despiser of our current commander-in-chief.

She was a champion of social justice and, mostly behind closed doors, an extremely talented singer and performer (check her out on www.Smule.com/Smulean3128246 ).

She was a beloved daughter, sister, cousin, aunt, niece and friend to those lucky enough to secure some time with her. Most importantly to her, she will always be the loving mother of two beautiful humans, Noah and Makana, twin aspects of her soul, her true loves, best friends and proudest life achievement.

Susan was born in Woodland, Calif., on Aug. 14, 1963, to Bonnie Mae and William Feeney of Lakeport, Calif., joining her older siblings Kathryn and John. The Feeneys, originally from North Dakota and Minnesota, lived in Esparto, Calif., at the time, where Susan’s father was a chemistry/math professor and football coach at Esparto High School. Her mother, Bonnie, taught second grade at the elementary school.

Susan always counted her childhood years growing up in Esparto as among the happiest of her life. Always a seeker and an instigator of fun, she gained a reputation among her classmates for her quick, formidable wit and her wicked sense of humor; she was not one to be trifled with.

She was a popular girl, lovely, long of leg, a cheerleader. Statuesque, she was taller than even most of the boys in her class. She was elected president of the student body as an eighth grader, thanks in part to a well-delivered speech ghostwritten by her sister, Kathy. Susan proceeded to live up to absolutely none of her campaign promises and was subjected to an overthrow of her administration, much to her amusement and glee.

Susan had perhaps the softest heart and sweetest soul of any of our species. She never turned away from a person or an animal who was suffering.

And she was, we submit, the most passionate dog lover who ever lived. Her first dog, a stray, was a sweet black lab mix who she lured into the house with a plate of leftover spaghetti. Duchess was ostensibly the family dog but was in fact thoroughly and completely Susan’s. Over the years Susan rescued literally dozens of dogs from the Lake County animal shelter for which she facilitated adoptions. Subsequent dog loves of her life included a maternal ginger lab mutt named Elizabeth, two corgis, Owen and Baby, and finally her beloved Australian shepherd, Jack, aka The Love Dog.

Susan and her family relocated to Lake County in 1977, when her youngest sibling, Daniel, joined the family. She delighted in Danny and lovingly tormented her little brother as only she could.

She graduated from Clear Lake High School in 1981, then attended Santa Rosa Junior College and Long Beach State University, where she graduated with a degree in business/marketing.

A talented creative writer, she worked in Santa Rosa for the legendary Padi Selwyn Agency, creating advertising campaigns for the Luther Burbank Center and other high profile clients. In 1986, she moved to Hawaii and worked for an advertising agency there for clients including McDonalds. In 1990, she married Daniel Yuen of Maui, Hawaii and later that year gave birth to her son, Noah. The following year, Susan and Daniel welcomed a lovely daughter, Makana.

In 1992, Susan attended law school at the Empire College of Law in Santa Rosa and graduated cum laude in 1996. After graduating, she worked as a public defender for the county of Lake, and later joined her father as a partner at the law offices of Feeney & Feeney in downtown Lakeport.

By this time, Susan and Daniel had separated; Daniel returned to Hawaii. A couple of years later, Susan met Dr. Simon Lee, who owned a dental practice with offices in Lakeport and Clearlake. They lived together in Hidden Valley Lake, Calif., for 10 years. She later was married to Clint Gerber of Half Moon Bay, Calif.

Susan’s happiest role and most fulfilling role, always, was as mother to her two children. Her precious son Noah was a talented football player, and played for schools including Cardinal Newman, where he was coached by Joe Montana, and Montgomery High School in Santa Rosa. Susan could always be found cheering on the sidelines, beaming with pride and joy. She never missed one of Noah’s games.

She considered her cherished daughter, Makana, to be her BFF, partner in crime, and twin soul. Makana was blessed to inherit her mother’s beauty, creativity and vocal talent. Both her children were instilled with her courage, her compassion, her love of animals, her innate sense of justice and her resilience.

In 2015, at the young age of 52, Susan was diagnosed with stage four colorectal cancer and sought treatment at Cedars Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. She lived with her sister, Kathy, in Hancock Park, and together they made the rounds of doctors and treatments in an attempt to save and prolong her life.

Susan dealt with her cancer with a courage and an accepting, philosophical grace that was breathtaking to witness. Her one wish was that everyone she loved might use her crisis to reflect on their own lives and choices and live their lives to the fullest.

She loved her life dearly and she fought cancer like the warrior she was, with everything she had, but in the end her beautiful body succumbed to complications from cancer treatment. It was only fitting that Susan was taken from us in the Year of the Dog.

Susan loved her family most of all, including her children, her dear precious mother and best friend Bonnie, her beloved, revered father and law partner, William, and her other partners in crime, her sister Kathryn, her beloved brothers John and Daniel, and her dear nephew, Adam.

We are lost and we are far worse off without her presence, her sweetness, her sense of fun, her enormous heart, and her ferocious loyalty. Her family is tasked with figuring out a way to live in this world without our funny, brave, beautiful lioness; please wish us luck.

Funeral services will be held at United Christian Parish in Lakeport on Sunday, March 18, at 1 p.m. All friends are welcome to attend.

Donations in her memory can be made to the SPCA of Lake County.

Arrangements by Chapel of the Lakes Mortuary, 707-263-0357 or 707-994-5611, or visit www.chapelofthelakes.com.