Susan A. Trefzger Shiels Burbank

Susan Burbank (Sue) passed 11/25/25 peacefully in her Santa Fe home of 34 years with two of her children by her side. Born in Cincinnati, 8/26/1933, to Marie Rose Niland Trefzger and Francis Franz Trefzger, along with older sister Patricia Trefzger Overbeck. She married her high school sweetheart, J. Michael Shiels, in 1953 while he was enlisted as a jet pilot instructor in the Navy during the Korean War. They raised their four children, Paul (Liz), Betsy (Toby), Patrick (Jan), and David (Teresa), on Crooked Lake, back in the woods, just north of Petoskey, Michigan. In the mid ‘80s, she married Brian Burbank, with whom she traveled west, settling in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Eventually, she moved farther west to Albuquerque and later to Santa Fe. She is survived by all of her children, her grandchildren, Elsa, Perry, Kyle, Matthew, Kelly Ann, Suzanne, and Victor. She is predeceased by Keegan, who had Down syndrome and passed at age 7. She contributed every year to the Special Olympics for the rest of her life. She is also survived by four great-grandchildren, Harlee Ann, Shannon, Mia, and one on the way. Super spirited, always up early, a devout catholic, loved life, work, travel, reading, the theatre, and most of all her family. She had an incredible memory and sense of humor. She will be so missed!! Love you, Mom, Gramma, Great-gramma!