Mary Susan Ventura

Mary Susan Ventura, known to everyone as Susan, passed away peacefully at home with her husband, daughter, and devoted pets by her side on Sunday, March 8th, 2026, at the age of 71, after seven years spent living with Alzheimer's. Susan was born in Seattle, Washington to Alvin "Al" Rego Ventura and Mary Elizabeth "Beth" Ventura (née Koop) on October 1st, 1954. She is preceded in death by her father (2007), her mother (2014), her beloved baby sister Elizabeth Ann Ventura Dunn (2006), and her cherished nephew Bradley James Ventura (2009). She is survived by her loving husband of 46 years John Camp, her daughter Catherine Camp, her brothers James "Jim" Ventura and Patrick "Pat" Ventura, her sister Jennifer "Jenny" Ventura Ryan, and their families.

Susan spent the first years of her childhood in Federal Way, Washington as her father worked as a mechanic for United Airlines and her mother was a devoted homemaker, before the family relocated to Oregon. Susan graduated from Clackamas High School in 1972. Her parents later divorced, and her father remarried. Susan met her husband John in Portland in 1976. They moved to Eugene so that Susan could complete her degree in early childhood education at the University of Oregon. Susan and John were married in Eugene in 1979. A hard worker by nature, Susan held various jobs throughout her early adulthood while attending college, working at the Pendleton Coat Factory, as a waitress at multiple restaurants, and as a genealogical researcher for local Eugene historian and nurseryman, Mr. Joseph Holaday. Susan graduated from the College of Education at the University of Oregon in 1984. Susan’s daughter, Catherine Rose, was born in 1995.

Known as "Miss Susan" to her students, Susan was a devoted early childhood educator with a teaching career spanning nearly four decades. After working as a substitute teacher in the 4j school district, she began teaching 1st grade at Adams Elementary, which later evolved into an innovative Kindergarten/1st/2nd grade blend classroom. After many happy years teaching at Adams, she moved to a position teaching Kindergarten at Edgewood Elementary to be closer to home as her own daughter entered Kindergarten at Parker Elementary. A lifelong lover of art and strong proponent of arts education, Susan also taught summer art classes through various organizations in Eugene for many years. Susan retired from teaching in 2018.

Susan loved to travel from an early age, often flying to visit family in Hawaii as a child. When she was in high school, Susan travelled to London on a memorable vacation with her mother and brother Pat. Susan and John took many trips together over the years to Hawaii and the East Coast to visit with their families. They also enjoyed travels to New Orleans, British Columbia, and throughout the Pacific Northwest. After their daughter was born, they took yearly family vacations to the Oregon Coast, as well as trips to Hawaii, New York City, Washington DC, and a family road trip to the Olympic Peninsula.

Susan enjoyed many creative pursuits over the years and was especially fond of watercolor, collage, and mixed media art. She delighted in being out in nature and spent many hours tending to the vegetable and flower gardens around her house. Susan was a voracious reader, curating an impressive collection of poetry, memoirs, fiction, and nonfiction alike. She was also a dedicated journal writer and notetaker, filling many notebooks and margins of beloved books throughout her life. Susan dearly loved animals and cared for a menagerie of family cats, dogs, guinea pigs, and a variety of class pets over the years.

Susan will be remembered by those who loved her for her wonderful smile and easy laugh, as well as her keen sense of humor and incredible compassion and thoughtfulness. She will be missed by her extended family including her brothers and sister, cousins, nieces, nephews, and in-laws, as well as countless friends, colleagues, former students and their families.

There will be an intimate Celebration of Life for her close family and friends. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Alzheimer’s Association or Greenhill Humane Society in Eugene.