An international group of Sue’s friends, including Leigh Scully (Gentle, 1965) in Sydney, Marion Milburn (Diplock, 1965) in New Zealand, and Sue’s best friend in the UK, Maggie Draper, have put together this tribute to their dear, life-long friend.

Sue, Leigh and Marion, despite having lived in three different countries for some 50 years, have been constant friends since they met in Primary School at MLC School. Leigh and Marion became friends in the old Kent House (the refurbished ‘Youngarra’ that was purchased in 1949 and removed in 1966 to make way for the new Kent House), and they became close friends with Sue in Abbeythorpe after she started in Primary 6. 

Sue graduated with a BA from the University of Sydney and trained as a teacher and school librarian, and went on to work at Campbelltown and Ingleburn High Schools. Reminiscing about their university years, Leigh and Marion said “We wandered in and out of each other’s various university flats and had great times with all our friends”. 

Sue eventually moved to the UK where she worked for the Church of England, initially as the information officer at the Church Missionary Society (CMS), moving later to the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge (SPCK), a UK-based Christian charity founded in 1698 to increase the awareness of the Christian faith in the UK and worldwide.

In 2008, Sue was appointed by the Archbishop of Canterbury to organise the Lambeth Conference, attended by Anglican bishops from around the world. Her workplace was Lambeth Palace, the official London residence of the Archbishop. It was in this role that she became one of the best-informed figures on the international Anglican Church, and she traveled extensively to provide support to dioceses around the world, particularly in Africa.

Sue was a skilled Church diplomat, a early supporter of women’s ministry, and passionate about the value of education. She worked extensively in Africa, living for several years in Uganda until her retirement and became friends with a number of African families for whom she provided both friendship and financial support.

During her long and dedicated career with the Church, Sue also worked with other Anglican agencies: Feed the Minds, the Anglican Communion Office, Lambeth Palace, and the Exeter Diocese, making friendships around the world. 

One of Sue’s many friends, The Venerable Christopher Futcher, Archdeacon Emeritus—Diocese of Cyprus and the Gulf, and previously the Archdeacon of Exeter, wrote this tribute to Sue: 

“Sue had a talent for putting people at ease and gently fostering cross-cultural understanding and had great experience and enthusiasm for relationships across the Anglican Communion. She got things done, and in meetings could cut through dithering with courteous directness.

I will remember Sue as a good companion, with a mischievous sense of humour and a healthy disregard for pomposity that endeared her to all who knew her. We spoke and got together a number of times after her terminal diagnosis. She continued to travel, kept in contact with family and friends, and was determined to live until the end. May she rest in peace.”

When she became ill, Marion traveled from New Zealand to help care for her. Marion said “It was a privilege to share her last few weeks with her.” Sue died on 28 November 2025 after a long illness. Her memorial plaque describes her as International Anglican Church Diplomat and Educator.