Susan C. Leader (Susie), age 83, of Pinehurst, NC, passed away on December 26, 2025.
Susie was born on March 14, 1942, in Lapeer, Michigan, to Howard Chase and Ruth Gunn Chase. She grew up in Lapeer and later graduated from the University of Michigan. From an early age, she possessed a refined aesthetic sense, deep empathy for others, and a quiet determination that would shape both her professional and personal life.
Susie built a successful career as an interior designer, founding and growing her own design business. Her work reflected her impeccable eye, warmth, and belief that homes should be both beautiful and deeply lived in. Her designs were featured in House Beautiful, Traditional Home, Better Homes and other publications. She was particularly proud of her involvement in Mansion in May, the signature Designer Showhouse and Gardens fundraiser of the Women’s Association for Morristown Medical Center. Susie also served on the board of Morristown Memorial Hospital and Sandhills Community College and generously volunteered her time to nonprofit organizations throughout her life.
Susie lived primarily in Morristown, New Jersey, Birmingham, Michigan, and Pinehurst, North Carolina, cultivating deep friendships and strong community ties in each place. Susie loved flowers and gardening, animals, and especially horses. She enjoyed tennis and skiing and found her greatest joy in time spent with family. Above all, she was defined by her kindness. She met others with patience, forgiveness, unwavering support, and a capacity for love that left a lasting imprint on everyone she encountered.
She is survived by her daughter, Catherine Chase Corroon (Kelly); her son, James Michael Corroon Jr. (Jamie); and her grandchildren Harper Claire Corroon Jones, Margaret Gunn Jones, William Augustus Jones, Kiara June Thompson, and Emerald Olivia-Shamya Johnson. She was preceded in death by her son, Ryan Michael Corroon; her brother, Michael J. Chase; and her ex-husband, Albert C. Leader.
A service celebrating Susie’s life will be held at Christ Church in Greenwich on January 10 at 10 a.m.
Susie will be remembered for her grace, generosity, and the quiet, steady love she gave so freely. Her legacy lives on in the beauty she created, the lives she touched, and the family she cherished.
