Susan Heidel Lotz, 84
Susan Heidel Lotz, 84, of Acton died peacefully in her sleep on October 2, 2026. Her passing was completely unexpected.
Sue was born June 14, 1942, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, to John B. Heidel, an insurance executive, and Alice Lampe Heidel, a homemaker and volunteer. She was the second of three children, with wonderful brothers Jack and Steve. Sue grew up in Cedar Rapids, Vermont, and upstate New York before moving to Des Moines, Iowa, for her senior year in high school. She loved her times at Colorado College, graduating in 1964 after an adventurous junior year abroad in Germany and racing on the college ski team.
Wherever she went, Sue made lifelong friends, maintaining close relationships with people from every chapter of her life. Sue was resourceful in pursuing things she loved. When her family moved to Montpelier, Vermont, her parents rented her a pony, launching a lifelong passion for horseback riding and competition. The cost of riding excellent horses was prohibitive, but Sue found a way. Her talent and magnetic personality attracted people who wanted to help her succeed, including one who would later become governor of Vermont.
From 1966 to 1968, Sue ran Compeers, a non-profit organization that teamed suburban and city teens to support inner-city projects. Inspired by the teen leadership training of two Peace Corps psychiatrists, Sue earned her master’s in social psychology at New York University. She then moved to the Boston area and worked in programs teaching leadership skills to New England non-profits.
Sue’s ability to connect with just about anyone was legendary. One day, walking out of the restroom at an event, Sue collided slightly with the mayor of Boston. She apologized, and he asked her what she did. She explained her work in community action, then asked him, “How’s your job?” The next day she sent a letter to the mayor that led to a position in his administration. She had leveraged this accidental collision into a great opportunity, not unlike the day she met her future husband Bob in Cambridge in January 1971. A group cross country ski lesson became the first of a lifetime of adventures together. They married in 1972 and were married for 54 years.
While taking an MIT summer short course for urban managers, Sue became excited about a full-year program underway at MIT. She made the case and joined the Sloan Fellows Program, studying with future CEOs of top 500 companies. Graduating in 1975 with her second master’s degree, Sue was hired by Digital Equipment Corp. to create and manage an executive development program for their 250 top managers.
In May 1979, Bob’s sister and her husband, Susan and Stephen Lang, perished in a catastrophic airline crash, leaving behind their 8-year-old son Bryson and their 3-year-old daughter Joy in Woodstock, Illinois. With love and dedication, Sue and Bob made the lifelong commitment to raise Joy and Bryson as their own.
Taking an extended leave from Digital to guide Joy and Bryson’s transition to a new life in Groton, Sue took an active role volunteering in the children’s schools. She was a wonderful mom, supporting their passions and ambitions — their biggest cheerleader. She was enthusiastic about empowering them with tools to make their dreams a reality. She believed that anything was possible if you were assertive, persistent, and eternally optimistic. She also instilled the importance of acknowledgement and humility. She had an incredible ability and interest in guiding young lives. She helped many close family friends and relatives gain clarity and direction — a gift that keeps on giving to this day. Where there’s a Sue, there’s a way.
As the children got older, Sue returned to consulting top executives in managing across cultures as a member of the Portsmouth Consulting Group for some years.
Sue traveled extensively, beginning with a year of volunteer teaching in eastern Africa after Colorado College. The adventures continued with Bob throughout their marriage, including trips to several European countries, New Zealand, Australia, Bhutan, Nepal, Thailand, Cambodia, Burma/Myanmar, Cuba, Ecuador, and Galapagos; a medical/dental mission to Honduras; and an assistance trip to Nicaragua.
In recent years, they enjoyed family travel to Sarasota and Anna Maria, Florida, filled with adventure, the arts, and their favorite sport, pickleball.
Sue and Bob lived in Groton for 49 years, very involved in the community they loved so much. Sue’s passion for giving back and social justice found expression in many ways. She led the effort to establish a regional Racial Justice Fund and a Social Justice Fund for Groton. Sue helped found the Prescott School Community Center and, with Bob, supported Groton Neighbors and Groton Hill Music, and they donated land to Groton Conservation Trust.
Sue was a devoted member of the First Parish Church of Groton, where she served in various leadership positions over the years, including a mentor role in the Coming of Age program
When Sue was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2017, she and Bob began researching, learning, and planning. Determined to slow the progress of the disease, Sue threw herself into Rock Steady Boxing, plus regular strength and balance training with a personal trainer. She regularly walked for exercise on Indian Hill Road.
In September, Bob and Sue moved to independent living at Newbury Court. They were settling into their new home and looking forward to enjoying it together for years to come. Toward the end of the month, they reflected that they had found the right place at the right time. Sue told a close friend who inquired how it was going, “I am at peace.”
Sue had a remarkable gift for bringing people together. She genuinely cared about their lives and could make others feel welcome and connected. Her infectious smile, unmistakable laugh, and boundless energy made her a magnetic presence in the lives of many. Sue’s spirituality, kindness, and concern for others extended well beyond her circle of friends. She cared deeply about helping people, social justice, and the environment, and she brought that same energy and genuine interest to the causes she believed in, always looking for ways to make a difference. Her legacy lives on in the many people whose lives she touched, the friendships she nurtured, and warmth, laughter, and love she brought into the world.
Sue is survived by her husband Robert “Bob” Lotz; her children Stephen Bryson Lang (Heidi Ousler Lang) and Joy Elizabeth Lang (partner Erik van Wyck); and grandchildren Oliver, Yvette, June, and Graham; brothers John “Jack” Heidel (Sharon Conlon) and Steve Heidel (Lynne Heidel); nieces Katherine Heidel, Laura Heidel, and Sarah Heidel; and nephew William “Will” Heidel.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Sue’s honor may be sent to the First Parish Church endowment or the First Parish Church Social Justice Fund at First Parish Church of Groton, 3 Powderhouse Road, Groton, MA 01450 or online at uugroton.org.
A Celebration of Life service will be held for Sue at First Parish Church, 1 Powderhouse Road, Groton, on Saturday, November 14, at 1 p.m.
Arrangements are under the care of Acton Funeral Home, concordfuneral.com.
