Susan Marie Short, lifelong artist, devout Catholic

Susan Marie Short (Waters) died peacefully at home in Lewes Thursday, April 16, 2026, after a courageous fight against cancer. She was diagnosed with tongue cancer last summer and had three surgeries to remove it. While initially successful, the cancer returned and she chose to come home to hospice April 14.

Susan was a lifelong artist who graduated with an art degree from Rutgers University. Trained as a graphic artist, she worked in her field her entire life. She worked at The Intelligencer newspaper in Doylestown, Pa., for many years, serving as art director at one point. She also worked at Rogers Signs in Milton and Delaware State News in Dover.

Susan loved working at The Intelligencer during a golden age for newspapers. She was surrounded by talent in an area that had been home to Pearl Buck, James Michener, Dorothy Parker and Richard Rodgers. She met Michener and it was a point of pride that she can be seen in a photo at the Michener Museum when he visited the newspaper.

Susan was widely respected for her artwork, which was a great passion of her life. She made her own Christmas cards, painted her own Christmas ornaments and did murals, paintings and drawings for family and friends. Acrylic, colored pencil and pen and ink were among her favorite media.

She was especially proud of a large 9-by-10-foot mural she did for church depicting children of all races coming to Jesus. It hangs in the lobby of St. Jude the Apostle Catholic Church's Religious Education Building.
She also did four large canvas murals for Darkness into Light, a live Nativity pageant performed by the children of the St. Jude parish.

Susan loved traveling, reading, photography and anything chocolate, which she considered a health food. She was a devoted animal lover, collected carousel horses and enjoyed history, which she minored in at Rutgers. She loved volunteering with Code Purple and Tharros Village, which help the homeless in the Lewes area. After volunteering for Code Purple, she said it allowed her to see the face of Jesus in those in need. She was a devoted Catholic who believed strongly in the risen Lord. She and her husband Michael started and ran a youth group at St. Jude for six years.

She is survived by her husband Michael, who was blessed to be married to her for 27 years. She is also survived by two sisters, Patricia Mutschler of Davidsonville, Md., and Kathleen Waters of Louisville, Ky. She is also survived by a brother-in-law, David Mutschler of Davidsonville; sister-in-law, Laura Lester of New London, Pa.; niece, Margaret Howe of Madison, Wis.; nephew, Robert Mutschler, Allison Mutschler, and beloved great-nephew Charlie Mutschler, all of Odenton, Md. She is also survived by their beloved cat, Rembrandt; their neighbor, Renee Smith, who has become family; and numerous cousins, friends and acquaintances from across the globe.

She is predeceased by her beloved parents, Robert Waters Sr. and Eloise Waters (Eichinger); and an older brother, Robert Waters Jr., all of Willingboro, N.J. She is no doubt discussing the state of the world and hearing the latest Oscar winners from her brother, who she has missed very much.

Susan was born March 21, 1958, in Trenton, N.J. Her family was one of the first to live in Willingboro, N.J. She attended Holy Cross High School (now Academy) in Delran, N.J., and graduated in 1976. She served in the color guard and carried the American flag in numerous parades for high school, often marching in all sorts of weather over grueling parade routes.

She was a lifelong Girl Scout and began leading her own troop while still a teenager. She led that troop for many years and remained in touch with some of her scouts for decades.

Michael feels blessed beyond measure to have been chosen by the love of his life and by their 28 and a half years together.

Susan left the world a better place and is already deeply missed. She was kind, smart, sweet, strong, loving, loyal, generous and a blessing to all who know her. Her 10-month fight against cancer was a master class in bravery and strength. She made us better, taught us how to better live and at the end, she taught us how to let go. Perhaps it was the most important lesson of all.

A visitation will be held from 5 to 7 p.m., Wednesday, April 29, at Parsell Funeral Homes & Crematorium, Atkins-Lodge Chapel, 16961 Kings Hwy., Lewes. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11 a.m., Thursday, April 30, at St. Jude the Apostle Catholic Church, 152 Tulip Dr., Lewes, with visitation from 10 to 11 a.m. Burial will follow at St. Peter's Cemetery, 660 Pilottown Road, Lewes, where she will overlook the Lewes-Rehoboth Canal and her beloved ospreys when they return each spring. A luncheon will follow at the Parish Life Center of St. Jude the Apostle. Join us at lunch to cry a little, share memories and stories, and raise a glass to our beloved wife, sister, friend and companion. It will also be a chance to see and share some of her remarkable artwork as we celebrate a remarkable, well-lived life.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Code Purple at the Cape, 152 Tulip Drive, Lewes, DE 19958, or Tharros Village, P.O. Box 85, Lewes, DE 19958.

Visit Susan's Life Memorial webpage at parsellfuneralhomes.com.