Scientist, seeker, mother, friend
Susan B. Robbins, Ph.D., a pioneering molecular biologist, devoted mother, and lifelong advocate for communal living and scientific inquiry, passed away in Fort Collins, Colorado, after a long and courageous struggle with cancer. She was 78.
Born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio, Susan’s early fascination with biology was encouraged by her parents—her father, a mechanical engineer turned eldercare administrator, and her mother, longtime director of the Cincinnati affiliate of the American Diabetes Association, remembered for her flair and humor (including her claim to have been kissed by Pete Rose). Susan’s curiosity about the natural world was nurtured on childhood trips to Hocking Hills and the caves of southern Ohio. The close proximity of Serpent Mound and other ancient Mound Builder sites sparked a lifelong love of science, story, and spirit.
In the late 1960s, Susan and her partner Michael Hruby moved to San Francisco and joined the growing communal movement that was sweeping America. They moved into the Kaliflower Commune where they embraced the ideals of shared resources and social experimentation, raising their daughter Rachel in the heart of the counterculture. When Susan chose to leave the commune in 1972 to pursue a more stable path for Rachel, she never lost her connection to the values of mutual aid and community. For many years, she lived in Grand Rapids, Michigan, in a collective household, eventually gifting the home to a fellow resident.
Susan returned to school in her 40s, earning a B.S. in Biology in 1990, and later completing her Ph.D. in Genetics at the University of West Virginia in 1997. Her postdoctoral research at the University of Cincinnati focused on the cellular mechanisms of cancer susceptibility, including key studies on the CHEK2 and Cdc25A genes and their roles in DNA damage response. Her co-authored work appeared in peer-reviewed scientific and medical journals such as Mutation Research, Cell Division, and Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, and contributed to our understanding of how both environmental carcinogens and inherited genetic variants shape cancer risk.
After retiring from her career in molecular biology, Susan moved to Fort Collins to be near Rachel, with whom she shared a deep and abiding bond. Despite ongoing health challenges, including multiple rounds of chemotherapy and radiation, she remained intellectually curious, socially engaged, and fiercely independent. She was a member of the Burrow’s Bees discussion circle, where she shared stories from her life in the communes, her research years, and her thoughts on science, memory, and resistance. She also enjoyed nature walks, monthly talks by local naturalists, and reflecting on everything from graffiti justice to cave systems in Ohio.
Susan is survived by her daughter, Rachel Robbins, and Rachel’s husband, Steve Jacobs, by her brother, Todd Robbins, who lives in Michigan, and by a wide circle of friends and comrades from every chapter of her life—from the communes of the 1960s and 70s to the cancer clinics and Zoom meetings of recent years. Her life bridged science and spirit, the personal and the political. Even in her final days, Susan’s sharp mind and playful wit never wavered—she continued to share her daily Wordle scores with a close circle of friends and had the winning combination just two days before she passed. She will be remembered for her fierce intelligence, wry humor, unstinting courage, and unyielding devotion to both truth and love.
Susan was a rock star on the Show of Hands all. She was kind and helpful to everyone there. She will be sorely missed.
I never met Susan IRL. We “met” on the Show of Hands app, where she was so very helpful to everyone that needed technical help with the app. Many of us were fascinated with her hippy lifestyle and that she never learned to drive juxtaposed with her being a highly educated scientist. I went to her multiple times for answers to science questions I had and she did her best to try to dumb the science down enough that I could understand it! I really enjoyed reading her obituary/memorial. She led such an interesting life! I know she will be sorely missed IRL and on SoH. May you take comfort in your many happy memories.
Susanr was the voice of reason in many conversations I’ve had on SOH. I always knew she was waiting on me to overstep logical reasoning. I suppose she’ll still linger around just around some corner in my thoughts waiting to ground me. I’ll miss her presence but also know a part of her made a lasting impact on me.
Rachel, your mom was so loved, by everyone she encountered, including many on the SOH app that never even met her in real life but still considered her a close friend. She was so kind. We would share stories about our cats and the little antics and trouble they got into. Your mom was a gem and provided such comforting words to me during my mom’s battle with cancer, and after she passed away, your mom would check up on me to make sure I was doing ok, and for that I will always be grateful. Your mom was such a fascinating woman!! What a life she led. I could listen to her life stories for hours, and she was so knowledgeable and smart. The world is definitely a much darker, sadder place going forward. I am so sorry for your loss. I will be keeping you and your family in my thoughts and prayers in the days ahead.
A wonderful woman. I’m glad I knew her. After I moved away from Grand Rapids I kept in touch loosely with her and Rachel. I missed her.
It was always a pleasure to encounter one of Susan’s posts. Her communal bent nearly always conflicted with my insistence that the individual is the unit of existence. But knowing her past, and experiencing her patience and good will endeared her to me as it did so many. I smile remembering her attempt to help me identify my mystery beans. I’m saddened that now I’ll never know if she got her daughter to change her French Toast recipe. I pray she has encountered the loving God she denied and found Him forgiving. She’ll not be forgotten.