Paid Notice: A beloved grandmother, mother, sister, cousin and friend, Susan Comey Dayton died peacefully on August 12, 2024, following complications from several illnesses. She was 70.
Known for her infectious smile, classy style and boundless energy, Susan lit up every room she entered and will be missed by many as that light has now faded.
Born in Manhattan on September 15, 1953, Susan was the second child and only daughter of the late Jeanne Pickands Comey (Owen) and Daniel Lacey Dayton. Channeling her favorite storybook character, Eloise, she spent a fun, mischievous childhood with her siblings, friends and cousins in Locust Valley, NY, Cape Cod, MA and Vero Beach, FL. Susan attended the Green Vale School in Old Brookville, NY before going on to the Foxcroft School in Middleburg, VA. She graduated from Windham College in Putney, VT.
Combining her culinary expertise and knack for entertaining, Susan began what would go on to become a lifelong career in catering with the opening of Potpourri in Locust Valley in 1973. Her taste for adventure led her to work from California to Connecticut with numerous stops in between, including jobs with Martha Stewart and Ina Garten.
Susan married in 1984 at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in East Hampton, NY and shortly after welcomed Whitney Olive, followed by Cooper Olive 3 years later. After becoming a single mother, Susan raised her family in East Hampton before moving full time to Vero Beach in 1997, where she owned and operated three different catering companies -- Simply Scrumptious, Soup to Nuts and ultimately, Run Around Sue’s. In addition to catering, Susan excelled for many years at interior design, and furniture and décor resale.
Elegant and eloquent, Susan loved her pearls, Jack Rogers and clothes, especially white jeans. She loved Baskin Robbins ice cream, Dunkin Donuts coffee (once she was no longer near her dearest Bucket’s coffee in EH), Diet Coke (caffeine free!) and going out for dinner after years of cooking for everyone else. When not in Vero Beach, she loved to take day trips to Palm Beach or visit relatives in East Hampton. Most especially, she loved her family and dogs. All her life, Susan surrounded herself with four-legged friends. She grew up with springer spaniels and as an adult, she has cherished wire-hair dachshunds, including her most recent pups, Augie and Cabo.
Susan was extremely proud of her children and their accomplishments, and being a grandmother was Susan’s greatest joy in the last decade. “MumMum” and Kiki cooked together, went pumpkin and apple picking every year and enjoyed sleepovers every Friday night.
In addition to her granddaughter, Kiki, Susan is survived by her daughter, Whitney Olive, son, Jameson Cooper Olive (Addie) and brother, Peter (Barbara). She also leaves numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and friends with memories of good times together.
Contributions can be made in Susan’s name to Breakthrough T1D (formerly Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation).
A celebration of life was held this past spring in Vero Beach. A memorial service will be held at St. Luke’s in East Hampton on Saturday, Oct. 4, at 11 a.m.
