Susanna Schevill. Courtesy of her family
Susanna Schevill died on Aug. 9 at her family home in Berkeley, surrounded by loved ones, after bravely confronting an aggressive variant of Parkinsonism (PSP) for five years. A devoted mother, community leader and one of Berkeley’s most trusted real estate agents, she was 77.
Born in Berkeley on April 27, 1949, to Professor James Schevill and Helen Shaner, Susie was a third-generation Berkeley resident whose love for her hometown would define the course of her life. After graduating from Berkeley High School, she began her studies at the University of California, Berkeley. During her junior year abroad at the University of Montpellier in France, she met her future husband, Robert Sinai, then a medical student at the Faculté de Médecine. Together they lived in France, Newfoundland, Toronto and Montreal while Robert completed his medical training and Susie earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Toronto.
In 1978 they returned to Berkeley, where Susie devoted herself to her young family. Beginning in 1988, she built an extraordinary career in residential real estate, first with Mason-McDuffie, later with Templeton and The Grubb Company. Susie became one of Berkeley’s most respected agents, helping hundreds of families find homes while sharing an encyclopedic knowledge of the city’s neighborhoods, architecture, schools and history. Clients valued not only her expertise, but also her integrity and genuine commitment to their lives and futures.
Friends often described Susie as someone who never stood on the sidelines. When she saw something that needed to be done, she organized, encouraged and quietly made it happen Passionate about public education, she enrolled her children in the founding class of Prospect School, served on the board of Berkeley Hills Nursery School and founded the Berkeley High School Development Group, serving as its chair for seven years while raising substantial financial support for the school. She believed that strong schools were at the heart of a strong community.
Susie also co-authored the 1985 book, “Helping Your Child Sleep Through the Night.” The book reflected qualities that defined her throughout her life: an ability to understand problems clearly, find workable solutions and help families feel more confident.
A lifelong Francophile, Susie returned to France many times, maintaining close friendships there while traveling widely around the world. She found equal joy at home. Susie loved everything about food and cooking, from discovering new recipes and preparing meals with her family, to hosting elegant dinner parties. Around her table, thoughtful conversation, laughter, beautiful food, and lasting friendships naturally came together.
Susie is survived by her husband, Robert; her children, Nick, Jim, and Vanessa; her daughters-in-law, Christine and Nancy; her grandchildren, Ellis, Georgia, Samson, Eddie, Joshua, Dakota, and Teddy; and her sister, Debby Schevill, of New York City.
Her greatest legacy is found not in the homes she sold or the organizations she led, but in the community she strengthened and the healthy, confident children she raised. A celebration of her life will be held in the Fall.
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