Susan Brennan Burt, 70, passed away at her home in Cornville, Ariz. on Feb. 19, 2007 following a swift battle with inflammatory breast cancer.

A Chesterton resident for the past 35 years, she was born May 24, 1936 in Sac City, Iowa, the daughter of Elizabeth and Hugh Morton.

She is survived by husband Jack F. Burt, a Valparaiso native; daughter Cheryl Brennan Fanning of Ariz.; sons, Terry Brennan of Jackson Twp. and Matthew Brennan of Ariz. and a stepdaughter, Mary Burt Connors of Valparaiso.

Susan was the fifth of nine children and the oldest daughter. She was an honor student graduating valedictorian and a thespian. She served in the United States Marine Corps, attended Cornell College in Iowa, The University of San Francisco, Joliet Junior College and Purdue North Central, where she earned a degree in nursing. She worked for a few years as an RN at Walters and Porter Memorial Hospitals.

She later became a professional insurance agent and office manager at Burt Insurance Agency of Valparaiso, where she worked until Sept. 2006. She was an avid reader, animal lover, gardener, amateur carpenter, self-taught musician (piano, harmonica and accordion) and a fan of good music.

Family services were held in Arizona.

Posted 3/5/2007