Susan McClymont Deeds

Susan McClymont Deeds left this earth December 5, 2025 from natural causes related to a stroke she suffered nearly 2 years prior.  In the end, she slipped away in her sleep peacefully surrounded by her family and friends. Susan Lynne McClymont was born July 28, 1943, in Victoria, Texas to Richard & Anne McClymont, where her father was stationed as an army pilot trainer during WWII.  Susan spent her entire childhood in the small farming town of Holdredge, Nebraska, and graduated Salutatorian of her senior class.  She was the eldest of 6 siblings that she helped nurture and raise: Patricia, Richard, Beth, Kay & Ted. 

Susan attended the University of Nebraska in Lincoln (UNL) and was a member of the Delta Gamma sorority, graduating with highest honors in 1965.  She won a scholarship to study abroad in Mexico City, where she lived in Coyoacan with her host mother Dona Ofelia, a former dancer in the national baile folklorico. Thus began her lifelong passion for Mexican culture, cuisine and history that propelled her on an unexpected and incredible life and career trajectory.   

During her time in Lincoln Susan met Dana A Deeds. They wed in 1966 and shortly after moved to Northeast Brazil, where Dana served on staff in the Peace Corp for 5 years from 1967-1972.  Their daughters Ellen & Gabriela spent their early childhood in Fortaleza, before returning to the US on an epic road trip through South and Central America in a Volkswagen bus. In 1974 Susan earned a master’s degree in Mexican history from UNL. The family then settled in the small Arizona town of St. David, not far from Tombstone.  Susan began commuting to Tucson for the girl’s education and began her doctoral studies at the University of Arizona in Mexican History. The family moved to Mexico City for a year in 1976 for her to complete her research. In 1981 she defended her dissertation, gave birth to her son Colin, and taught at the UofA.

Dr. Susan Deeds joined the faculty of the history department at Northern Arizona University (NAU) in 1985, where she spent the rest of an incredibly successful and impactful academic career spanning decades.  Amongst many scholarly achievements, she published her book Defiance & Deference in Mexico’s Colonial North: Indians under Spanish rule in Nueva Vizcaya (2003 University of Texas Press) and became the principal editor of 5 editions of the best-selling textbook on Mexico, Oxford University’s A Course on Mexican History.  She was known for her diligent archival research, critical analytical approach and strong writing skills, traits she also developed in her students. 

It was in the classroom that Susan perhaps made her biggest impact, where she was known as a tough, but fair teacher who was passionate for the subject and genuinely cared about her students.  She welcomed them into her office and into her home, where she nurtured them professionally and personally, and was recognized with several major teaching awards over the years. Susan was also an active contributor to many professional associations and editorials and was a longtime dedicated board member of the Americas Research Network and the Rocky Mountain Council for Latin American Studies. 

A lifelong activist and supporter of liberal causes, Susan was a donor to Amnesty International, the ACLU, democratic politicians and many other social justice organizations. In the 1980s she fought against the banning of books and advocated for the sanctuary movement in Southern Arizona.  Susan excelled and rose the ranks in a male dominated field, speaking out about the sexual harassment she endured along the way even when it jeopardized her career.  She was an ally and advocate for all the marginalized peoples she met along her journey.   

Susan was a prolific host and chef, where anyone who entered her home was welcomed and embraced.  Her famous dinner parties and holiday celebrations were always delicious, joyous, and boisterous affairs.  She enjoyed her scotch or mezcal and cigarettes with friends where her laugh became infectious.    

Despite not really being an outdoors person, Susan became a Scout Den Leader (for a group of boys with single moms), learned to camp, and even overcame a fear of heights to hike to the bottom of the Grand Canyon.  Amongst many other sacrifices as a late life mother, Susan allowed two large dogs in her house for Colin, where she loved them despite her allergies. 

Susan retired from NAU in 2010, though she continued her academic pursuits based out of her home in Mexico City.  Her apartment became a cherished gathering place for many scholars & students over her years spent there.  She developed a family and community in CDMX that she very much loved and appreciated. 

In 2019 Susan moved to San Diego, CA to enjoy retirement with her partner Murdo J McCleod, and to be near her sister and best friend Beth.  After suffering a devastating stroke at the end of 2023, she returned to Tucson to be with her family for her final years. 

Susan was an amazing person who touched so many lives in positive ways, and who connected people everywhere she went. She was a rock of stability, unconditional love and support for so many family members, friends and students. Susan had an epic, unique and adventurous life; from growing up in a small town in rural Nebraska to retiring in one of the biggest cities in the world in Mexico, with stops in Brazil & Arizona and other places in between.  She was an incredible mother, partner, friend, scholar, writer, teacher, mentor, activist, chef, caregiver, and Cornhusker football fan, amongst many more things.  Susan was also an incredibly generous, caring, intelligent and beautiful soul.

Susan is preceded in death by her parents and siblings Patricia & Richard.  She is survived by her children, Ellen Oaksmith (husband Stan), Gabriela Deeds (Ajay) & Colin Deeds (wife Michelle), her six grandchildren Torin, Max, Grace, Caden, Amia & Maya, her sisters Beth (husband Chris) Christoff & Kay McClymont, brother Ted (wife Paula) McClymont, sister in law Sherry McClymont, and many nieces and nephews that all loved and adored her. 

A Celebration of Life will be held in Tucson, AZ the afternoon of Saturday, March 28, 2026.  Susan’s family is establishing a student scholarship in her honor with the Americas Research Network, as well as a book award in her name at the Rocky Mountain Council for Latin American Studies, where donations can be made in lieu of flowers: https://www.gofundme.com/f/honoring-susan-deeds-with-a-scholarship-fund Family and friends are invited to share memories, photos and learn more about Susan and the memorial service details at https://www.mykeeper.com/SusanDeeds/