Susan Davis Birdsey Rubin passed away on June 5, 2026, at home in Dahlonega, Georgia - basking in the moonlight and love of her family and pets following an extended period of health complications. She was 72. She is preceded in death by her parents, Buck (George) and Penny (Hallie) Davis. She is survived by her doting and loving husband of 25 years, Leon Rubin, his sons Jonathan and David Rubin, their spouses and children, her only child Kristin Birdsey, her many friends including her devoted caregiver Rebecca Bailey, and the thousands of students she loved during her career. 

Suzi was born in Atlanta and moved to Crescent City, Florida, with her family when she was a toddler. A life-long lover of learning, even from an early age, she completed 5th and 6th grades in the same year, graduated high school as valedictorian, and excelled at the University of South Florida earning a degree in English with a minor in theatre. 

This love of learning and the talent for and appreciation of storytelling led Suzi to become a high school teacher for more than three decades in several counties in Florida, including 19 years at Eastside High School in Gainesville, Florida, and several more at Spanish River High School in Boca Raton. She single-handedly built the EHS Drama Program from a handful of students to hundreds and from a single stage production a year to up to five annually, including a musical. She directed more than 100 plays.

Suzi married her beloved husband, Leon Rubin, in 2001, and in their years together they built the life they dreamed of, complete with a happily blended family, a home in the North Georgia Mountains, and eventually several grandchildren. They traveled all over to sporting events, theme parks, concerts and plays, and even built a mountain cabin rental business before leaning fully into retirement.

It is unfairly cruel to try to reduce Suzi to words on a page because she was so full of life, energy, quick witted quips, creativity, and endless love for people and animals. She never met a stranger and quickly gained friends and fans in any space she occupied at any stage of her life. She was an educator, raconteur, actor, performer, writer, entrepreneur, and comedian. Her warmth was like sunshine, her laughter like medicine, and her stories like an enveloping embrace.

Initial memorial services will be held in Dahlonega on Sunday, June 14, at Anderson-Underwood Funeral Home with visitation at 1 p.m. followed by a service at 2 p.m. Additional Celebrations of Life will take place in Gainesville, Florida, during football season, and in East Liverpool, Ohio, later this month. In lieu of flowers, to honor Suzi’s life and legacy, please consider donating to your local animal shelter, your favorite high school or community theatre program, or simply by sharing your favorite story about her.