Susie Li

It has been over six years since we lost Susie. I still miss her desperately, and I have gone through very few days since April, 2000 without being reminded of her. Now that I finally have some dedicated web space, I decided to put some serious effort into making this page a reality. Susie deserves a permanent tribute that her friends and family can view to help remember the wonderful person she was. I have scanned every picture I own containing Susie Li. I hope to collect as many pictures as possible from her closest friends around the world. Perhaps we can piece together some new memories. Please join me in making this a fitting tribute to an incredible person. If you have materials to provide, you can reach me at johnpette at hotmail dot com. Alright, onward...

The earliest picture of Susie I have happens to be one of my favorite pictures in history: Angie and Susie in Susie's apartment, while Tokita, visiting Ithaca for the first time, looks at them as though they are from Mars...or Boston...


I went to this wedding the day after Slope Day '97 (hence the sunburn). Susie thought it was novel that I was in a suit (it was), so she wanted some pictures.

10/24/97 - My 21st birthday. Susie was one of the witnesses of the first drink of my life (to date, there have been three). Angie, Andy, and Jerry can (sort of) be seen in the mirror.

10/31/97 - Y'think? Me, Susie, Angie, and Julie.

2/18/98 - Susie wakes up from a nap on my couch.

5/1/98 - Slope Day, senior year at Cornell. I am fairly certain I have never seen anyone more drunk in my life. Susie, me, Angie (below)

5/16/98 - Pre-graduation afternoon trip to...which park...Treman? Not sure...
Susie, Angie, Adrianne, me.

On the way back , an ENORMOUS bug flew in Susie's window and ended up under her seat. She whined in fear for about 5 minutes with one of the funniest looks on her face I've ever seen. I tried to capture the moment, but it came out fuzzy. About 30 seconds later, she pulled over and ran screaming from the car while Jared (I think) and I removed the offending insect.

5/23/98 - The day before graduation, following Keith Olbermann's Convocation speech. Me, Susie, Jared.

5/24/98 - Graduation night. Me, So, Susie. Pay no attention to the post-Slope Day bloodshot eyes Susie is sporting. Yes, three weeks later. Oops.

7/1/98 - My first visit to DC. Susie didn't like having her picture taken first thing in the morning. Who knew?

7/2/98 - Susie, me, So. Chinese food. Good things. I am glad I found this picture. I've been trying to remember the name of that place for years.

7/4/98 - Post-fireworks, returning from the Mall. That's me, Sharon, and Susie. I swear.

11/14/98 - We went to this Pietasters/Cherry Poppin' Daddies show at the 9:30 Club and decided to pimp it out a bit. Sharon, Adam, Susie, me.

1999
One of my biggest regrets is that I have so few pictures from the 1999-2000 period, during which I actually lived in DC and saw Susie often. I wish I'd gotten the pictures from the Advisory Board Holiday Party, to which Susie accompanied me.

7/4/99 - Hottest day of the year in DC (again). Carrie, So, and Susie found a tiny bit of shade.

I have no pictures of Susie from 2000, but I do have this: shortly after her 24th birthday, Susie got a tattoo in the middle of her lower back. It was a stylized version of the character for dragon. She was gone within the next two months. I decided to pay tribute to her by getting the same ink done (at the same parlor in New York). So I leave you with this, circa May 2000...