Susan Genevieve McQuoid Guerrero

September 18, 1949 ~ August 23, 2010

Susan passed away on August 23, 2010 at Desert Spring Hospital in Las Vegas, Nevada, from heart failure. She is survived by her children: Jose, Miguel, and Shawn; her brothers: Eddie, Butch, and Richard; and her mother, June.

If there was ever a person who wanted to heal all the wrongs in the world, it was Susan Genevieve Guerrero. She was an idealist who sought to bring harmony to those around her.  Even though Susan was enthusiastic and generous, it was sometimes difficult for her to boast about her accomplishments.  Susan had strong personal convictions, making it hard for her to relinquish those ideals she held dearest to herself.  Despite her outer strengths and beliefs, Susan sometimes struggled in her efforts to see the world as completely positive.  Susan's life motto was always to hope for the best but be prepared for some of life's disappointments.  This philosophy was a continual driving force in her life, but it did not extinguish the bright light that defined the dreamer in Susan, something that was always there and that she readily shared with everyone around her.

Susan was born in Clinton, Massachusetts to her parents, June and John McQuoid.  Susan was raised in Tucson, Arizona.  As a youngster, Susan demonstrated an excellent vocabulary and command of language.  She was a compassionate person, a quality that she would carry with her throughout her life.  Even at a young age, Susan was sensitive to her parents' moods and worked hard to please them and live up to their expectations.

Throughout her life, Susan showed a remarkable ability to mend relationships.  This was true even with her siblings.  Susan was caring, diplomatic and tolerant of the feelings of those around her.  Susan was raised with four siblings: Eddie, Richard (her twin), John "Butch", and Barbara.  Susan was constantly involved in activities with her brothers and sisters.  Susan and her siblings had the typical rivalries while growing up, but they cared deeply for one another.

As a young girl, Susan lived a childhood filled with fantasy. She was generally in pursuit of her own identity, but she was also adaptable to almost any situation she faced. Susan took part in racquetball. She was a member of the choir. In her spare time she liked listening to music, especially the Beatles. However, to Susan, the most fun to be had was simply playing, and spending time with her many friends.

High school was a time for Susan to seek out knowledge.  She enjoyed learning and had a natural interest in gathering information.  Susan had a flair for the poetic and was very expressive and articulate, especially when it came to her writing. Susan took her education seriously.  She graduated from Tucson High School in 1967.  She enjoyed some courses more than others, having favorite classes and teachers.  Her favorite class in high school was music.

While those who did not know her well found Susan to be somewhat reserved until they got to know her, she was an authentic and devoted friend. She presented a pleasant face to the outside world but concealed the pain and discomfort she felt over her own friends' difficulties. Susan sought to achieve harmony with everyone and possessed the ability to mend conflicts and avoid interpersonal struggles. While growing up, one of her best friends was Gloria. Later in life, she became friends with Patty.

The desire for romance was always present in Susan's life.  Susan married Miguel Eduardo Guerrero in 1970. 

Susan was a gentle person who held deep feelings for her children.  She enjoyed having fun with her kids and was at times fiercely protective of them.  Susan showed great empathy in her willingness to give every family member a voice in family decisions.  She was blessed with three children, Miguel E. Guerrero Jr., Jose P. Guerrero II, and her adopted son, Shawn La Francis.

Blessed with a strong sense of integrity, Susan was as loyal and committed in her work as she was in the rest of her life.  Susan worked well with fellow employees and showed great cooperation in reaching common goals.  Though she had a tendency to take on too many tasks, herself, Susan showed great patience with complicated situations.  She was ingenious and trusted her intuition.  For Susan, the application of logic could be optional, and while that sometimes bothered her co-workers, Susan always seemed to be able to get the job done.  She was most comfortable working on the projects and jobs that she strongly supported.  Her primary occupation was as a cashier at Home Depot, where she was employed for 23 years.  Susan always tried to be a team player, doing what was necessary in order to get the job done.

Susan enjoyed her leisure time by taking part in various hobbies.  Her favorite pursuits were making Kachina dolls and watching movies.  Susan was content to enjoy her hobbies alone but she was also willing to share her interests with others.

Susan's tremendous enthusiasm for the activities she enjoyed also influenced the pleasure she drew from sports.  Susan also enjoyed watching sports and liked following her favorite teams whenever she got the chance to do so.  Tops on her list were football, especially the Super Bowl.

Susan enjoyed traveling and going away on vacations.  Taking trips provided the chance for her to kick back and relax, to visit new places and see new things.  A favorite vacation included a Caribbean cruise.

Susan was a lover of animals and cherished her pets.  Two of Susan's favorites were Missy and Tonks, both Chihuahuas.  She had Missy for eight years and Tonks for one year.  Her family was rounded out by two ferrets, three dogs, and two cats.

Though Susan always appeared to be dreaming of greener pastures, she was accepting of retirement when it finally came in 2010.  Her new life involved staying in Las Vegas, Nevada.  Even in retirement, Susan continued to stay in touch with her old friends while making plenty of new acquaintances. 

Susan Genevieve Guerrero was someone who was able to see the world as a good and honorable place.  She viewed the people who inhabited it as essentially good.  A person who tended to see the world in terms of black and white, Susan tried to focus on the good she saw, knowing that there were times she would have to compromise.  She was selfless and deeply committed to all things positive and good.  Susan was a person who would keep her eye on tomorrow and constantly held onto her dreams. She was capable of being mystical at times, and she could be the seer or shaman of a group.  It was this exceptional insight and quiet reserve that became Susan's trademark qualities for all who knew her, and it was one of the many reasons why all who knew her loved Susan Genevieve Guerrero.

Arrangements under the direction of Palm Green Valley Funeral Home, Las Vegas, Nevada.