Susan Magalski Manchester
1945 - 2026
Susan Marie Manchester, 80, of Greensboro, NC passed away after a short illness on May 21, 2026, in Massa, Italy, while on vacation with her husband of 60 years.
Born on August 7, 1945, in Akron, Ohio, Susan was the oldest daughter of Thomas and Jean Magalski. Due to her father's employment, the family relocated to Cromwell, CT, when Susan was 11. She attended Cromwell schools and graduated from Cromwell High School in 1963. After her family moved back to Ohio, Susan received an associate's degree from the University of Akron.
Susan married Dennis Manchester on January 29, 1966, in the Holy Family Catholic Church in Stow, OH, in the middle of a blizzard. The couple then moved to East Hartford, CT, where she was employed by Pratt and Whitney Aircraft and Raytheon Laboratory, enabling her husband to finish his degree at UCONN. As a Navy family for several years, Susan and her husband lived in Rhode Island, New York, Georgia and Virginia. Returning to civilian life, the couple then lived in Massachusetts, New Jersey, Vermont and Oregon. Her love of sports was kindled while in Oregon while working as a program analyst for the Oregon State High School Athletic Association. Susan and her husband relocated to Greensboro in 1981.
Susan's career at UNC Greensboro spanned over 40 years. She began in 1982 working with the University Publications Office as an Editorial Assistant. In 1993, she joined the Division of University Advancement as a Prospect Researcher. At the time of her retirement in 2010, she was the Assistant Director of Prospect Management and Research. She rejoined the team a year later as a part time Prospect Research Analyst, a position she was still active in at the time of her death. Susan was also a proud graduate of UNCG's Bryan School of Business and Economics, having earned her bachelor's degree in Information Systems and Business Management in 1992. Her dedication to the University was exemplified through decades of service and commitment.
Susan was a devoted wife, mother and grandmother. She will be remembered for her love and active involvement in the lives of her family, especially her grandchildren, her many friends and co-workers at UNCG. Susan and Dennis loved to travel throughout the country, Canada, Europe and Asia, often with Dennis' brother and sister-in-law, and groups of friends. She was a passionate fan of the UNCG Spartans, UNC Tarheels and the Boston Red Sox, through their ups and downs.
Susan is survived by her husband Dennis, their son Scott and his wife Catherine; daughter Lynne; and grandchildren AvaSun, Anna Kate, Sydney and Jack and his fiancée Melissa Campbell. Susan was preceded in death by her parents, Thomas and Jean Magalski, and her sister, Judith Betteridge.
A funeral mass will be held on Wednesday, July 1, at 11:30 a.m. at Saint Pius the Tenth Catholic Church in Greensboro. Following the mass, friends and family are invited to a celebration of Sue's life from 1:30 to 3:30 in the Oakley Room at the Marcus T. Johnson Alumni House on the UNCG campus. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and the American Heart Association.