Alert “06880” reader and Westport resident Marcy Sansolo writes:
If you ever visited the children’s room at Pequot Library, you knew Susan Ei. And you felt her presence.
The children’s librarian for over 10 years — an unusual and beautiful woman, inside and out — died this week. She was 64.
Susan Ei
Susan had terrific energy, boundless enthusiasm, a genuine love of children, legendary patience, and a bunny kids could practice reading to.
She embraced all things Harry Potter, and never missed an opportunity to discuss a good book with good friends around a roaring fireplace.
She loved organizing potluck dinners, bike rides, holiday singalongs, and sleepovers under the stars on the library’s mighty front lawn.
Her summer reading programs were epic. She was tireless at the yearly book sale, even though it always falls during a massive heatwave.
In late 2003, I was still in shock over leaving the 212. My family and I found ourselves in Fairfield. I had discovered the Pequot Library within the first month. It was love at first sight.
Susan and my then-3-year-old became fast friends. Their relationship lasted well into the young adult section.
Jack is at Staples now. But when we returned to the Pequot for the book sale or a concert, we still made our way to the children’s room to see dear Susan.
Despite the countless people she met over the years, she never forgot us. We were always greeted by our first names.
In 2007 we brought a new puppy home. Susan knew how excited Jack was, and told him to bring the dog to the library. I cracked up with her, at the lunacy of having an untrained dog at a library.
It was one of the very few times the puppy was well-behaved. After he had a good smell of the library, he and my son climbed up on a couch. Susan captured the moment in this photo.
Jack, his dog and his book.
Out of the hundreds of images I have, this is one of my all-time favorites. I’ll forever be grateful she captured this moment in time.
In a world of skinny jeans and blown-out hair, Susan — with her braids and cowboy boots — was a breath of fresh air. I’ll never forget her kindness.
I know her many fans join me in sending love, light and strength to her beautiful daughters, husband, family, friends and colleagues.
Thank you, Susan. We miss you already!
(For Susan Ei’s full obituary, click here.)
