Susan Katherine Waller, 79, of Farmington, Maine, died in the early morning hours of Feb. 17, 2022, due to COVID.
Susan was born to John K. and Laura (Hofmann) Ferguson on Sept. 12, 1942 in Wayland. She was the second of eight children. She grew up in the Cochituate area of Wayland, and spent her summers on the family farm located in New Durham, N.H. She received her undergraduate degree from the State College at Framingham, and her master’s degree from Boston College. After graduation from Framingham, she was introduced to Martha’s Vineyard by a classmate who was to become Mrs. Janice Belisle of Edgartown.
While on the Island, Susan met her future husband, Vineyard native Robert Waller. Susan and Robert were married on April 8, 1967, and would have celebrated 55 years of marriage this coming April.
She and Robert built their home on a part of the Waller farm, located on the Edgartown Great Plains. Their son Christian was born in 1970. A few years later, she began teaching first grade in the town of Tisbury. She would continue to teach there for nearly 30 years, forming the bulk of her teaching career.
Teaching first grade was her passion — she was fascinated and delighted by the transformation that took place in her students between September and June. Susan loved all her pupils; she always tried her best to make sure that they were prepared for the next step in the educational process.
Susan admired, respected, and made many lasting friendships among her colleagues in the Martha’s Vineyard school system. This was particularly true of those in Tisbury, feelings that were generously reciprocated.
Nearing retirement, she and Robert realized that Martha’s Vineyard had changed so much that they both made a choice to relocate. After much searching, they chose Farmington as the place they would retire.
Interestingly, the new home they built is less than a quarter-mile from the New Vineyard, Maine, town line. New Vineyard was first settled in 1791, when a quarter of Martha’s Vineyards’ population moved there. In a way, the Wallers had come home again.
For many years during her retirement, Susan volunteered to serve in various Farmington charitable organizations. She also participated in many of her church’s activities. She loved the University of Maine, Farmington (UMF) Senior College programs, presentations, and shows. Many happy hours were spent in the Mantor and Farmington libraries. Farmington’s Chester Greenwood Day and Fourth of July parades, the agricultural fair, and the Wilton Blueberry Festival were all great favorites.
All her life she had a great love for the arts, literature, history and nature; consequently she never missed an opportunity to visit a museum, concert, or presentation, or to enjoy the wonders of nature.
Last August, when her son Christian was hired, after a nationwide search, to be the new Farmington town manager, she was almost overwhelmed. Her biggest disappointment would have been that she did not live to see all of his children and wife make the transition from Indianapolis to Farmington.
Susan is survived by the love of her life, her husband Robert; her sisters Nancy (Roy) Meekins and Christine Evans of New Durham, N.H., and Margaret Ferguson of Cochituate, her brothers John (companion Janice) Ferguson of Wollaston, Charles (Nancy) Ferguson of Malden, and Andrew (Wendy) Ferguson of King George, Va.; by her son Christian (Karen) Waller; grandchildren Katherine Louise, Savannah Grace, Abigail Marie, Ellen Sophia Partridge, James Kenneth, and Fiona Noel Waller; as well as many beloved nieces and nephews. She is also survived by two who have been deeply loved and dearest friends almost from the day Robert brought her to the Waller farm to meet the family, Robert’s sister Al-Louise Morgan and his cousin Marna Waller, both of Edgartown.
Susan had a good, loving, productive, and generous life, which is the foundation upon which we who are left must continue our journey without her.
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