Susan Targer Berlin died on Aug. 4, 2026 at the age of 87. Born in New York City, Sue moved to Cleveland in 1960 after graduating from Penn State. She married Maurice J Berlin in 1961. They were together for 47 years, until his death in 2008. Sue is the mother of Matt and Alec Berlin, of New York City; mother-in-law of Shari Turitz; grandmother to Jonah and Ben Berlin; and sister to Tom Targer of The Woodlands, Tex.

Sue's constant smile revealed the warmth, compassion and genuine curiosity she felt towards everyone she met. She was always on the lookout for confidants, collaborators and co-conspirators.

After earning an MLS from Western Reserve University in 1967, Sue worked in libraries throughout greater Cleveland. She was the Adult/Young Adult Materials Selection Manager for the Cuyahoga County Public Library system and later the Director of the Upper School Library at Hawken School.

She served on the Board of Trustees of the Women’s Community Foundation (including a year as Interim Executive Director), PreTerm, and the Cleveland ACLU. She was on the Community Advisory Board of the Kelvin Smith Library at CWRU and she was an honorary member of the Flora Stone Mather Center for Women at CWRU. She cared deeply about  supporting young people, women and creating a more just world for everyone, particularly those who were not as lucky as she.

Sue co-authored the original publication of Outstanding Books for the College Bound, published by the American Library Association, was a book reviewer for the Cleveland Plain Dealer, and contributed to University Press Books Selected for Public and Secondary School Libraries.

She found love and companionship later in life when she met Sandy Wile at the gym in 2018. They were together until Sandy’s death in August 2025. Throughout those years their smiling faces could be seen at their regular haunts around town - the gym, the art museum, Severance Hall.

Sue loved nothing more than dining out at one of her favorite restaurants after seeing a performance by the Cleveland Orchestra, or a show at Playhouse Square, or a movie at the Cedar Lee, and then ending the night at home curled up with a good book.

Anyone who spent time with Sue was familiar with the dazzling light that emanated from her. But she reserved her brightest light for her kids and grandkids, truly the lights of her life.

In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the ACLU or Preterm.

A memorial service will be held at 4 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 6 at Sue’s home, 13900 Shaker Blvd. It will be streamed at evt.live/sue-berlin-memorial.