Suzi Elizabeth Berens

Lifelong Homewood resident Suzi Elizabeth Berens brought love and joy to those around her from the day she was born Nov. 15, 1958, until she passed away on Dec. 15, 2014 surrounded by family and friends in Hermosa Beach.

Along the way, she made innumerable friends through her relentless optimism, loyalty and selflessness that inspired all of us.

While fully embracing her own life, Suzi was always first to care for those around her and thought of everyone else’s well being before herself. Suzi simply could not say “no” when a friend was in need.

An animal-lover, generous spirit and loving soul, Suzi was a long-time member of the Lake Tahoe community where she spent her summers in the family home on the Western shore of the lake.

An adventurous traveller, outdoorswoman, camper and sailor, Suzi spent three years sailing around the world, before settling in the San Francisco Bay Area, where she worked for 15 years in the film business, while continuing to work summers in Lake Tahoe.

Through the years Suzi enjoyed success personally and professionally: wife, mother, props master, real estate investor, volunteer, den mother and very active in her communities.

She and husband Norm Berens shared 20 years together and have two children: 16-year-old Sean and 10-year-old Ellie. She was a tireless and passionate advocate for her children and was very involved in their lives volunteering at school, at play and in sports, arts and scouting. S

he was a caring daughter to Howard Skaggs, Merriam Lewis and George Lewis, and loyal sister to Vicki Skaggs, James Lewis and Betsy Clemings.

Suzi will remain in the thoughts of many people in Lake Tahoe, Northern and Southern California, and around the world.

A remembrance service and celebration of her life will be on Jan. 17 at 2pm at the Redondo Beach Center for Spiritual Living at 907 Knob Hill Ave., Redondo Beach.

For those of you who would like to make a donation, the family requests that you send in the memory of Suzi Berens to: Mesothelioma Alliance, 3206 Heritage Trade Drive, Suite 116, Wake Forrest, NC 27587.