Suzanne Ottinger

Ms. Suzanne Ottinger, 53, passed away on Tuesday, November 5, 2024 at her home in Frederick, MD surrounded by her loving life partner, Terry Maxwell and her children Sabrina and Claire Coffey. Born May 23, 1971 on an Army base in Okinawa, Japan, Suzanne was the daughter of John W. “Jack” Ottinger and Linda Bromfield - Linda adopted Suzanne when Suzanne was 8 years old. She was also beloved by her first mother, Marilynn Ruth Jarrell, who passed away when Suzanne was just a young girl. After returning to the U.S. as an infant, Suzanne became a life-long Fredericktonian, graduating from Thomas Johnson High School and becoming a successful esthetician. Her career included many years with Estee Lauder and Nordstrom as well as running the PariSpa in downtown Frederick and her own esthetician practice later in life. However, her greatest passion was her role as a mother to her daughters and super-aunt to her nieces and nephews.

Suzanne’s faith in Jesus Christ fueled her heart and influenced her life. Suzanne joined Frederick Presbyterian Church in early adulthood and raised her daughters in the church. She taught pre-school Sunday School for many years, participated in numerous volunteer activities and whole-heartedly enjoyed Sunday services.

Growing up, Suzanne enjoyed gymnastics and dance, and she carried that into adulthood as her family shared a beautiful bond through the Frederick Ballet. Suzanne started both of her daughters at the Frederick School of Ballet when they were three years old and spent fifteen years as the ultimate backstage Mom. She was loved by every dancer and could always get rid of the pre-show jitters with her amazing smile.

After Suzanne’s stomach cancer diagnosis, she began devoting intentional time to research for a cure. She became connected with Hope for Stomach Cancer, Debbie’s Dream Foundation and No Stomach for Cancer. Her efforts included lobbying in Washington, DC, countless Zoom calls with doctors and researchers, and work through support groups and the advocacy organizations. Her persistence was instrumental to understanding the family hereditary condition that led to her illness and, as a result, her daughters and sister have been able to treat the disease. She was viewed as a hero, advocate and a fighter to all.

She is survived by her life partner Terry Maxwell; loving children, Sabrina Coffey and her husband Travis Barbe and Claire Coffey; her mother Linda Bromfield; brothers and sisters, Joseph and Jocelyn Ottinger and Gwendolyn Ottinger and Richard Peterson as well as her nieces and nephews and her sweet dog Pebbles. A Service of Remembrance will be held at 11:00 am, Friday, November 8 at the Frederick Presbyterian Church, 115 W 2nd St. Frederick, MD 21701. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to No Stomach for Cancer https://nostomachforcancer.org/ and Hope For Stomach Cancer https://stocan.org/. The Keeney and Basford Funeral Home, Frederick is in charge of arrangements and Suzanne’s online memorial is available at www.keeneybasford.com.