Suzanne "Sue" (Horvath) Reeps

Suzanne "Sue" Reeps (Horvath), 74, of Malvern, Pennsylvania, passed away peacefully in her sleep on Friday, January 9, 2026, after an eleven-year, courageous battle with Multiple System Atrophy (MSA). She died just one week before her 75th birthday, surrounded by the love of the family she cherished.

Sue was born on January 16, 1951, in Cleveland, Ohio, to Robert and Miriam Horvath. As the daughter of an IBM employee, Sue's childhood was marked by adventure and adaptability. Her family often joked that IBM stood for "I've Been Moved". She lived in multiple towns across Ohio, Michigan, and New York, moving seven times before adulthood. These early experiences instilled in her a remarkable ability to build community wherever she went and to embrace change with grace and optimism.

Sue attended Cornell University, where she graduated in 1973 with a BS degree in Technical Clothing Design. Her creativity was exemplified by her design of the uniforms for the Cornell hockey team. Her passion for learning continued in 1994, while balancing a demanding career and raising a family, she earned her Master of Engineering degree from the University of Pennsylvania.

After graduating in 1973, Sue relocated to Dover, Delaware, to work at ILC Industries, where she worked on improving the designs for an inflatable orthopedic device to help quadriplegics and paraplegics stand independently. This work would foreshadow her lifelong commitment to improving lives through engineering innovation. It was there that she met Allen “Al” Reeps, an engineer, in early January 1974. Their first date was on February 8, 1974. By June, Al proposed during a camping trip with Sue's family on Cape Cod. Just three months later, on October 5, 1974, they were married at her church in Poughkeepsie, New York. Their marriage would span more than 51 years; a partnership built on mutual respect and enduring love.

True to her upbringing, Sue's married life continued the pattern of making houses into homes across many states. She and Al lived in Dover, DE and various towns across Eastern PA before moving up to Acton, Massachusetts. Retirement brought them back down to Pennsylvania. Each move brought new friendships, new communities to enrich, and new memories to create.

Sue devoted thirty years of her professional life to serving her country through the United States Navy as a civilian scientist. Beginning in July 1975 at the Naval Air Development Center in Warminster, Pennsylvania, and later at Natick Labs (NCTRF) in Massachusetts, she worked as a Physical Scientist designing critical equipment for pilots and aircrew members. Her innovations included cold water protection clothing and anti-G vests and clothing that helped keep American service-personnel safe. Her excellence was recognized in 1986 when she was named NADC Woman of the Year. Upon her retirement in March 2006, she received the Department of the Navy Meritorious Civilian Service Award, one of the highest honors bestowed upon Navy civilian employees. Sue was also recognized by the service-personnel that she worked to protect by being given a call sign (hers was “Barracuda”) and launched off an aircraft carrier. Even in retirement, Sue's expertise remained in demand. She spent five additional years as a Navy contractor, serving as the Systems Engineer for the next generation of chemical and biological protection clothing. Her work touched countless lives, protecting those who protect our nation.

Sue's faith was central to her life. She shared her musical gifts by playing the organ at her church and devoted herself to teaching catechism, passing on her beliefs to the next generation. Her commitment to community extended beyond church walls. She was an active member of the Hatboro Jaycees in Pennsylvania and Rotary International in Easton, Pennsylvania.

Sue possessed an extraordinary range of talents and interests. She was a gifted musician who played guitar, piano, and organ, and lent her voice to the Acton Chorus in Massachusetts. She was an excellent cook who delighted in participating in a couple’s Gourmet Club for many years and passing on her love of cooking to her son. Her skilled hands created beautiful works through sewing, as well as counted cross stitch and knitting.

In 1994, Sue discovered quilting, which became one of her greatest passions. She earned multiple ribbons at the Vermont Quilt Festival and was a proud member of the "Five States Stitching Sisters." Her quilting community was vast and beloved, including membership in the Concord Piece Makers in Acton, MA; the Colonial Quilters Guild in Bethlehem, PA; and the Mainline Quilters Guild in Malvern, PA. Her quilts, crafted with precision, creativity, and love, remain treasured heirlooms by her family.

Above all her accomplishments, Sue treasured her role as wife, mother, and grandmother. She is survived by her devoted husband of 51 years, Al Reeps; her son, Stephen Reeps (Roslyn); her daughter, Kristin LaMotta (Jason); and five grandchildren who brought immense joy to her life: Chase (16), Jackson (14), Norah (13), Miles (10), and Rebecca (10). She is also survived by her siblings, Edward Horvath (Kathy), Miriam Cohe (Shaw), Stephen Horvath (Judith), and Geraldine Horvath (Mark) and a number of nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her parents, Robert and Miriam Horvath.

Sue Reeps lived a life of purpose, creativity, and love. She protected American service members through her engineering brilliance, built community wherever she went, created beauty through her quilts and music, and nurtured her family with unwavering devotion. Though MSA gradually took her independence, it never diminished her spirit or the love she inspired in all who knew her.

A memorial service celebrating Sue's life will be held on Friday, February 6, 2026, at 1pm at Church of The Good Samaritan, 212 W Lancaster Ave. Malvern, Pennsylvania. In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests donations be made to Cure PSP or Quilts of Valor in Sue's memory.