Legacy of Susan C. Jacques

What do you want your legacy to be?

This was the question Susan Crosby Jacques ‘47 asked herself while creating her estate plans. She thought first of her family, who had prioritized education for all of their children, and she realized her education had been the foundation for everything she was able to do in life. In conversation with her cousin and closest friend, Laurah Brown ’93, Susan concluded that the two institutions where she received her education—the Kents Hill School and Thomas College—were the foundational pillars for her life. As she looked toward the future, she decided that she wanted her legacy to be helping others have access to the same transformative education.

Born in 1927, Susan graduated in Thomas’s Class of 1947 with the two-year diploma that was then offered for women in Secretarial Studies. She lived most of her life in Vassalboro, Maine, where she worked in Central Maine Power’s purchasing department as one of the pioneering women on staff at the time.

“She did not have a lot of money to begin with, but she was incredibly frugal,” Laurah said. “She valued a dollar. She was a saver, and she was very disciplined. She would reheat the same cup of coffee throughout the day and would tip her server down to the penny!”

Susan’s example, tenacity, and encouragement inspired Laurah. In her early 30s, Laurah had an entrepreneurial spirit and a desire to start her own business, but she needed the technical skills and training to make it happen. Unsure of her next steps, she remembers going to Susan for counsel.