Susan Maize

Maize, Susan (Williams)

March 15, 1946 - November 9, 2023

Susan Maize passed away on November 9th after having suffered a stroke.  She is survived by her loving husband of 47 years, Ralph Lee Maize, her daughter Deborah Moroni and her sons, Matt Sims and Christopher Rasku.  Susan has a brother, Jan Williams, father to her nephew Tyler Williams.  Her step-son, Darrell Maize (Jodie Maize) preceded her in death in 2005.   She is also survived by ten grandchildren, Madison Moroni, Michael Mason Moroni, Robert Chaplin (Chappy) Moroni, Kennedy Sims, Gerald (JC) Sims, David Rasku, Kianna Rasku, Christopher Rasku and two step grandsons, Isaac Maize and Ethan Maize. She also has two great grandchildren, Rumi Mertoglu and Shams Mertoglu. Susan was preceded in death by her loving parents, Bonniebel (Thornton) Williams and Chaplin Ames Williams (Chappy). Susan has many extended family members including the Thornton family of Potter Valley, California.

Susan’s career included her work at the Mendocino Sheriff’s Department where she met her husband Ralph. She later worked at the Hopi Indian Reservation where she served on two school boards. She worked many years on the Mendocino County Elections team as a ballot counter and verifier. Susan also served as a supervisor for the River Rock and Redhawk Casinos and a long career at the Ukiah branch of Bank of America.

Her interests were many including caring for feral cats, board member of the Mendocino County Historical Society and her passion for Native American Rights.  Susan was also very active with helping to organize reunions for her classmates, many of whom she remained close with. Other interests include knitting, her flower garden, lunch with girlfriends, studying family genealogy, travel, studying the history of her beautiful Ukiah Valley and keeping an immaculate house! Susan will always be remembered as an adventure seeker. In her own words “I finished up the 60’s with a few lost years, but I made it out”. Referring to the few years she lived in the Haight-Ashbury neighborhood of San Francisco, climbing fences into Janice Joplin concerts and the likes. She adored her travels to the Mendocino Coast where she attended the Mendocino Film Festival and always had to stop for fresh Clam Chowder. She visited Alberta Canada, attended the Calgary Stampede, rafted the Colorado River, fell in love with Norway and attended many Pow Wow’s. She admitted that Mackinac Island Michigan was her favorite place on Earth and made many trips there. Her years living in Keams Canyon Arizona on the Hopi Reservation, where Ralph served as the Chief of Police, was always a favorite part of her past and she remained close to many of the people she met there who became “family”. The Ami Family who live on Walpi (also known as First Mesa) have, to this day, been an extension of her family. Susan became very immersed in the community there, helping to collect clay for Native pottery and hunting for Pinon Trees to collect nuts.

Always an animal lover, Susan Maize may be best remembered for her devotion to the Corgi Nation, helping rescue Corgis from all over the country and the world. Yearly she looked forward to NorCal Corgi Con, an event on the beach of San Francisco and very close to her heart. Her own Corgi, Brinkley, laments her passing every day.

There will be a Celebration of Life in the Spring of 2024, yet to be planned, in Ukiah. It will be posted on Susan’s Facebook page.

Mother would have suggested that, in honor of her life, donations be made to Queen’s Best Stumpy Dog Rescue.