MIDDLEBURY — Our beloved Susan passed away peacefully surrounded by family Oct. 23, 2026.
Susan Roney Drennan was a joyful, charismatic, and intelligent woman with a sharp, playful sense of humor and an extraordinary zest for life. She was warm, quick-witted, and full of enthusiasm. Her vibrant personality and infectious spirit touched everyone who knew her.
Susan was passionate about birds and the natural world, an interest that became both her life’s work and one of her greatest joys. She began her career at the National Audubon Society, where she worked as an editor for American Birds, the Society’s ornithological journal. She eventually became its editor-in-chief, playing a pivotal role in overseeing the compilation, analysis, and publication of the annual Christmas Bird Count results. A passionate advocate for the scientific value of the count, she helped establish its importance as one of the world’s longest-running and most geographically extensive citizen-science projects. She remained deeply committed to her work at the National Audubon Society, where she devoted more than two decades of her life.
Her contributions to ornithology and the field of birding were widely recognized. She was the first woman to receive the American Birding Association’s Bushnell Distinguished Birder Award and was also honored with the Arthur A. Allen Award from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
Susan also loved writing, and authored Where to Find Birds in New York State: The Top 500 Sites. Her work with the National Audubon Society took her around the world, where she lectured on birds, wildlife, and the natural world, sharing her knowledge of everything from birdlife to the intricate workings of ecosystems. She had a deep curiosity about the natural world and delighted in sharing her knowledge, enthusiasm, and love of nature with others.
Beyond her professional accomplishments, Susan loved traveling, movies, making ceramics, reading, and, above all, spending time with family and friends. She had a generous smile and a remarkable ability to make people feel valued and special. Friends often remarked that they felt happier after spending time with her. She was deeply loved and will be greatly missed.
Susan was born Oct. 16, 1938, in Detroit, Mich., the daughter of Charles Roney and Maureen Cunningham, and the second of seven children.
In her youth, she met and married Matthew Drennan, and together they raised two children, Matthew and Maureen. Later in life, she met and married Paul Meyer, with whom she shared 40 cherished years. Paul accompanied her on many of her travels and was an avid and passionate birder himself. Together, they shared a deep love of nature and travel and enjoyed a happy life together.
Susan is survived by her son, Matthew Drennan, of Bar Harbor, Maine; her daughter, Maureen Drennan, and her husband, Paul Gagner, of Brooklyn, N.Y.; her grandchildren, Grace and Ava; her sister, Marty, of Detroit, Mich.; and Paul’s children, Lisa Meyer and her husband, Jeffrey Hughes; Gretchen Meyer and her husband, Fred Gates; Peter Meyer and his wife, Bonnie Meyer; and Kristen Stroud and her husband, George Stroud.
She was predeceased by her husband, Paul Meyer; her sisters, Mary Pellerito, Belle Henzel, Sara Roney, and Celeste Roney; and her brother, Charles Roney.
The family is deeply grateful to the staff at The Residence at Otter Creek for the kindness, compassion, and support they gave Susan; to Lori Miller, who was by Susan’s side in her later years and brought friendship, warmth, and companionship to her days; and to Stephanie Stoddard of Addison County Home Health and Hospice, whose exceptional dedication, devotion, and thoughtfulness brought Susan comfort and greatly enriched her quality of life. We are profoundly thankful to all of them for the kindness, dignity, and comfort they brought to Susan’s life.
A celebration of Susan’s life will be held in the coming months. An announcement will appear in the Addison Independent.◊
