February 27, 2023
We are sorry to let you all know of the recent passing of Susan Bruneni, a great person and wonderful friend of the Santa Fe Botanical Garden. Susan began volunteering with the Garden shortly after moving to Santa Fe in 2009. She was a dedicated supporter of the Leonora Curtin Wetland Preserve, close to her home in La Cienega, serving as greeter, docent, docent coordinator, parking lot attendant, and overall booster over the years. She was fearless when it came to technology, mastering our system’s mobile touchless payment app, all during COVID.
In September 2011, the late Janice Tucker suggested Susan as a Plant of the Month volunteer writer, knowing her editing and writing skills. By November 2011 Susan wrote an article of about one of our most beloved plants, one-seed juniper, Juniperus monosperma. She continued researching and writing with great zeal for the next 11 years, writing 46 more Plant of the Month articles, with her most recent one this past November 2022 on ‘Zig Zag’ blue grama grass, Bouteloua × ‘Zig Zag’. She was smart, funny, and always interested in life and engaged in whatever she was doing, her enthusiasm bubbling over to people around her. Our hearts go out to Susan’s family and all who loved her. We will miss you, Susan! Thank you for your years of support and dedication.
A memorial will be held on Sunday March 5th at the Leonora Curtin Wetlands at 2pm, followed by a Celebration of Life at the education center at El Rancho de las Golondrinas.
Members potluck 2011 at the Leonora Curtin Wetland Preserve (Susan is standing in center to left of then Executive Director, Linda Milbourn).
