Upcoming Services
| Marc Zeitlin |
Sun Oct 6th at 1:00 GRAVESIDE AT MACHPELAH CEMETERY | |
| Linda Radin |
Sun Oct 6th at 1:00 IRA KAUFMAN CHAPEL |
FUNERAL DETAILS
Susan Olesha Levytsky Shwayder
Susan Olesha Levytsky Shwayder, 69, of Franklin, Michigan, died on 10 October 2023. The Funeral was held at Maas Chapel at Temple Beth El, 7400 Telegraph Rd, Bloomfield Hills, MI 48301 on Tuesday, 17 October 2023 at 1:00 PM . Rabbi Mark Miller officiated. Click  to watch a video of the recorded service.Interment at Beth El Memorial Park, 28120 6 Mile Road, Livonia MI 48152.
The family of Susan Olesha Levytsky Shwayder will be gathering through the evening of Tuesday, October 17 at the residence, 27551 Fairway Hills Drive, Franklin MI 48025. Religious services will be held on Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. After a three-year battle with cancer, Susan Olesha Levytsky Shwayder passed away at her home in New York City on October 10, 2023. Susan was born in Perth Amboy NJ on January 23rd, 1954. Susan grew up in Perth Amboy where she attended the Lady of Hungary School and graduated from Perth Amboy High School in 1972. She went on to Rutgers University in the first class of admitted women where she was a Russian Language Studies major and graduated cum laude in 1976. After college, Susan moved to New York City where she pursued a successful career as Chief Copywriter for various fashion departments at Macy’s and Saks Fifth Avenue. She then conquered Madison Avenue at Wunderman Ricotta & Klein, now known as Wunderman / Y&R as a VP/Creative Supervisor. A creative powerhouse, just a few of Sue’s notable clients included American Express, Disney, Johnson & Johnson, and Pantene. She also wrote two children’s books with her colleague Don Ross: Where in the World is Walter? and Happy Birthday, Walter! She remained in New York City until 1988 when she married Mark Shwayder and moved with him to Franklin, Michigan, where they have lived for 35 years. Upon moving to Michigan, Susan worked with Donor Advertising. She successfully freelanced for nonprofit foundations, most prominently the Kresge Foundation, where she created, wrote and co-produced the Kresge Eminent Artist Award books detailing the lives and accomplishments of some of Detroit’s renowned creative artists. She contributed her talents to numerous other organizations, including the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. Sue also served at the pleasure of several boards in Michigan, including the Friends of Franklin Public Library, where she was a member and President until stepping down from her position in 2023. Her proudest accomplishment of the decades she spent in Michigan was giving birth to her daughter, Arden Evan Shwayder, in 1994. Sue was a fiercely devoted and loving mother and was heavily involved in all aspects of Arden’s life, especially during her tenure at Cranbrook Kingswood. In her role as a Cranbrook mother, Sue worked hard to grow support for the school’s artistic community. She served as Board President of BRAVO — Cranbrook’s supporting arts group tasked with raising awareness and funds to improve the performing arts facilities, offerings and programming — for several years. Sue had a gift for friendship. Loyal, caring, and supportive, Sue was proud of the many long term relationships she nurtured and treasured her many lifelong friends. In addition to being a brilliant writer and incredible mother, Sue was an arbiter of taste and beauty, a fantastic chef, baker, and hostess extraordinaire. Every year around the winter holidays, she transformed the kitchen into her own personal cookie factory, making and sending out hundreds of handmade gourmet creations to friends, colleagues and family around the world. You knew Sue loved you if you were on “the cookie list”. She was an avid gardener, and her love will continue to blossom through the beautiful peonies and daffodils she tenderly nurtured around her home. Sue was a brilliant, hilarious, caring and wonderful woman, and a certified tough broad who suffered no fools and flew through every crossword she came across with ease. She is survived by her husband Mark Shwayder, her daughter Arden Shwayder, Arden’s fiancée Jamie Kaye-Phillips, her brother John Levytsky and his wife Susan Moore Levytsky. She is preceded in death by her parents, Olga and Bohdan Levytsky. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to Friends of the Franklin Public Library. It is suggested that those who wish to further honor the memory of Susan Olesha Levytsky Shwayder may do so by making a contribution to: Friends of Franklin Public LibraryClick to Visit Charity Website |