Today, for "Women's History Month", we are celebrating this fantastic woman,
Meet, Suzanne Roberge, 62, widow, devoted mother, entrepreneur
When Suzanne Roberge moved to Maine in 1995 her friend stated “I’m surprised you moved there you always struck me as a city girl”. What her friend didn’t realize is Suzanne is a very adaptable, tenacious lady who believes humor mixed in with some chutzpah is the secret for a happy existence. You would definitely have to take this approach to live in her shoes.
Moving to Maine at age 38, from the D.C. area was a start of a new beginning. Years of working in upper management in various industries, Suzanne was ready for a change and fell in love with the more intimate personality of Maine and the laid back life than that in D.C. Not long after arriving she met her future husband Ben, when she was 39 years old. A builder by trade and Suzanne working in real estate sealed the deal for a perfect life partner. Soon after, Lydia, Suzanne’s most treasured gift arrived… a few months after Suzanne’s 41 st birthday.
Amidst all this happiness there was one question lingering for Suzanne and Ben….”what was his ancestry”? Ben was adopted at 3 months old and never knew his history. After 8 years of searching they found that Ben was Maliseet, and his family still lived in New Brunswick Canada on the Tobique First Nation reservation. It was an incredible journey through many tribes, reservations, tribal courts and adoption agencies, meeting and remaining friends with many natives only to find family and then being banned from meeting his biological family for privacy reasons. Ben and Lydia however were “banded” after proof of lineage and became members of Tobique First Nation.
Then one night, a few years later, waiting for Ben to come home for dinner a policeman knocked on the door and Suzanne was given the worst news any wife and mother would want to hear Ben had pulled over and died on the shoulder of I-95 coming home from work.
Not only was the news devastating of a loss of life of someone she had waited so long to find, they had bought an uninhabitable home that Ben was working on that was half finished, no insurance, no family in Maine to call for help and Suzanne was working a commission job, in other words no reliable income. For some this would be enough to throw in the towel, but Suzanne went to her usual default “when given lemons……”.
Suzanne began working harder, and became “battle ready” for many changes that were ahead. Her “city” skills kicked in and so did huge wave of motivation. Suzanne’s life became prioritized. Suzanne maintained Lydia’s relationship with Christine her half- sister. She kept making trips to Tobique each year. Suzanne drove Lydia every Thursday night for 6 years to the Center for Grieving Children. She saw Lydia receive honors in high school and into college after graduation. Battled financial issues, doubled her real estate sales and as of 2020 finished the home. As one happy client said on Suzanne’s review she “never lets go”, ”she is relentless”.
Sadly, out of the blue in 2019 Ben’s biological family was told about Ben’s existence and they reached out to Suzanne to meet Lydia and Christine. That was going to take place in March 2020, then Covid came and the border closed.
That’s ok, Suzanne replies (in 2021) with a cocky smile, there’s always Zoom!
1 Comments
Mar 25, 2021, 2:31:20 PM
Elaine Racicot - I have known Suzanne for several years. And as I read her story I am amazed at the vibrant women I know. She is always so positive and gracious. Blessings to you and Lydia.