“If you want to launch big ships, you have to go where the water is deep”

Susan Ingram passed away on July 13, 2026, at her home in New Canaan at age 67.

She was born in 1958, the third child of six to prominent Australian surgeon Dr. Ronald Aitken and English midwife nurse Sally Aitken. She grew up in Brisbane, Australia, where she attended Brisbane Girls Grammar School and participated in many sports, including competitive swimming. Susan was very popular in high school, a quality that stayed with her throughout her life.

After dropping out of Queensland University, Susan worked as a receptionist in the Sydney office of the American advertising agency Young and Rubicam and was quickly promoted to media buyer. Along the way, Susan met her husband, New York City native Andrew, who was enjoying a two-year assignment with Young and Rubicam in Australia. Susan enthusiastically relocated to New York City with Andrew when his assignment was completed in 1981.

In New York City, Susan worked as client services manager for Donovan Data Systems (now Mediaocean). She was the only non-college graduate to achieve this senior position.

Susan left Donovan Data Systems in 1987 when her daughter (and new New Canaan resident) Sarah was born. Her son Alex was born in 1990.

Susan returned to college soon after Alex’s birth. She subsequently received an Associate Degree in Chemistry, a bachelor’s degree in biology, and a master’s degree in human Genetics from Sarah Lawrence College, all with high honors. After finishing her degrees and passing her board certification exam in genetic counseling, Susan worked as prenatal genetic counselor at Norwalk Hospital.

Life changed in 2001 when the family was transferred to Switzerland by Andrew’s employer. Susan spent the next eight years as a homemaker in Lausanne where she immersed herself in the local culture, traveled extensively, made many wonderful friends, and taught herself French.

The family returned to the United States when Andrew retired in 2008. After some time in Philadelphia, where Sarah and Alex were attending university, she and Andrew settled in New Canaan in 2009. Susan subsequently worked as the Genetic Counselor at the Whittingham Cancer Center at Norwalk Hospital, a position she held until the birth of her first grandchild in 2023. In this role, she helped countless people navigate some of the most difficult moments of their lives with knowledge, compassion, and unwavering kindness.

During her life, Susan achieved her ambition of experiencing the world beyond Brisbane, though she and Andrew - often accompanied by their children - continued to visit Australia every year. She will be remembered by her many friends and family members for her wit, humor, intellect, playful sense of mischief, loving devotion to her family, and her undeniable willpower. 

Susan leaves behind her husband of 44 years, Andrew; her beloved children, Sarah and Alex; their spouses, Shawn Cain and Lucie Yang; her three grandchildren, Lillian, Sydney, and Milo; and her large Australian family.

In lieu of flowers, her family requests that any donations be made to the New Canaan Library or the Whittingham Cancer Center at Norwalk Hospital, which provided excellent care throughout her brief illness.

The Family is being compassionately cared for by the staff at Hoyt Funeral Home, 199 Main Street, New Canaan CT 06840. For online condolences please visit www.hoytfuneralhome.com