Susan Boyd Netherland, 76, of Stuart, VA, passed away unexpectedly on September 9, 2024. Having worked in healthcare for more than 50 years, Susan’s last morning was spent volunteering as a triage nurse at Caring Hearts Free Clinic in Stuart. She was gearing up for her next volunteer stint later in the week at UNC Health Rockingham in Eden, NC, where she’d chalked up 264 hours of volunteer service.
Born December 14, 1947, in Philadelphia, PA, Susan was the daughter of Joan McGrath Boyd, a nurse and an independent, strong single mother who fostered the same traits in her young daughter.
From an early age, Susan was the girl with a library card who checked out her book limit every week. She read voraciously and excelled in her studies, abilities that were equally matched by a decisive demeanor and a willingness to take charge in most any situation. Those attributes earned her an invitation to attend the Philadelphia School for Girls, where she completed high school.
Following in her mother’s footsteps, Susan chose a career in nursing, completing her RN studies at Johns Hopkins Hospital School of Nursing. She pursued a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing from Medical College of Virginia, while simultaneously working as a staff nurse in the hospital’s recovery room. She completed her formal education at Temple University, earning a Master’s of Business Administration with a major in Health Administration.
During her career she held multiple positions, starting as a staff nurse and quickly advancing to leadership roles. Her penchant for details, accountability, and procedures led her into the field of risk management at Lancaster General Hospital in Lancaster, PA, where she was cracking ceilings as one of only two women in directorship roles.
In the late 1970s, Susan left Lancaster, then a city of 150,000, and moved to Stuart, a town of around 1,100 at that time. The lure was the opportunity to hold the position of Director of Nursing, the number two spot at RJ Reynolds Patrick County Memorial Hospital.
When Susan met Frank Netherland, a hospital board member, the hills and hollers of Stuart that she thought would be only a stopover in her career, became the place she would put down roots. In 1985, Susan married Frank, a talented and prominent organist, gentleman farmer, engineer, civic leader and someone who appreciated an ambitious woman who valued challenges over frills. Together they reared their daughter, Susannah, not always adhering to traditional parental roles, but making certain she was exposed to music, art, travel and science, and valued education and independence.
In 1991, Susan accepted a position at Morehead Memorial Hospital, now UNC Health Rockingham, where she eventually became the Director of Quality, Accreditation, and Risk. A stickler for adherence to policy, she was a hound dog when ferreting out any noncompliance. She lived by holding herself accountable, and expected no less of others.
Susan was preceded in death by her husband, Frank. She is survived by her daughter Susannah Netherland, son-in-law, Brian Brindle, and her brother, Gary McGrath.
A memorial celebration will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, September 21,2024 at Moody Funeral Home in Stuart, VA. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the UNC Health Rockingham Foundation at 117 East Kings Highway, Eden, NC 27288 or to the Caring Hearts Free Clinic at 835 Woodland Drive, Suite 101, Stuart, VA 24171. Online condolences may be sent by visiting www.moodyfuneralservices.com.
