Sad news: Susan Strom, aka, "Lightning Lady"

[Dan Robinson]

UPDATE: Here is the info for Susan's services (via Cathy Franklin):

Sunday, August 25, 2013, 1:30pm - 4:30pm at Fountain Hills Presbyterian Church Official Site

Everyone is encouraged to visit her Facebook page. Her family loves reading all the wonderful comments

Susan's Facebook page is located at:

https://www.facebook.com/susanstrom

It is with a heavy heart I share the sad news of the passing of another one of our own. Longtime friend and fellow lightning photographer/storm chaser Susan Strom, lost her battle with cancer this week. Susan was one of the first lightning photographers I met online via the Lightning List in the late 1990s. She was active here on StormTrack and was out shooting lightning as recently as last month.

Susan's website is http://lightninglady.com

Phoenix Magazine did a great article on her in 2007: http://www.phoenixmag.com/lifestyle/valley-news/201007/storm-chaser-susan-strom/

Below is the message I received from Cathy Franklin via the Lightning List:

Hello All,

It is with great sadness that I tell you about the passing of my dearest friend and a remarkable storm chaser, Susan Strom, aka, "Lightning Lady"

She was the bravest and most inspirational person that I have ever had the pleasure to know. She endured a long, torturous battle with a rare form of ovarian cancer, and she never complained. She was still taking lightning photos from her balcony a few week ago. She defined the word, "Monsoon". She lived to chase storms, and to photograph the autumn leaves up north.
She was my good friend and mentor and she will be greatly missed. I am so grateful to have the memories of all the fun and crazy chasing adventures we shared.

Susan was a free spirit, and now her spirit is free...So please think of her the next time you are all out chasing storms. Just know that she is now part of all that beauty and power.

Cathy

 

[John Farley]

So sorry to hear this. Her lightning photography was amazing, and her enthusiasm for the monsoon was contagious.

 

[Patrick Marsh]

Never met her, but have heard a lot about her. Sad day...

 

[Bob Schafer]

How awful. I have enjoyed seeing Susan's art for many years.

 

[Shane Adams]

Sorry to hear of this. The thing I always remember about Susan was she took "pure" pictures, without any filters or digital touchups. She said lightning looked the most amazing in its true form, as it actually happened. IMO that was something that set her apart from most. To learn she had been battling this disease for so long and to have never heard a whisper about it from her is unbelievable to me, and speaks volumes about her bravery and character. I can only dream of having such courage. A true free spirit, she has definitely left a lasting legacy behind.

 

[David Wolfson]

I met and talked with Susan around town several times over the years. She was a great person and will be missed.

 

[Bob Hartig]

Like many in this forum, Susan is someone I've not met in person. But also like many in this forum who have been here a long time, Susan is one whose name came to mean something to me long ago. I came to equate it with passion--passion for a particular kind of atmospheric beauty which inspired her and called forth in her a combination of adult knowledge and childlike wonder. I respected her early on, and I feel loss and sadness that, so suddenly, she is no longer with us.

 

[Nate Weikal]

Sorry to hear of her passing! I also loved taking pictures of lightning! RIP!

 

[Sean Ramsey]

Sad news indeed. I never met her but her posts in this forum are the very reason I know about the monsoon season and chasing in the southwest, and her passion was very evident in her words and her photos.

 

[Marcus Diaz]

So sad to hear. She was hardcore when it came to monsoon season. I say we all "like" her last post. Her last one was very informative advise on how to chase the monsoon.

http://www.stormtrack.org/forum/sho...-the-Southwestern-Monsoon&p=330978#post330978

 

[Dave Gallaher]

Rest in peace, Susan. A class act, and a fine artist.

 

[Dan Robinson]

Here is the info for Susan's services (via Cathy Franklin):

Sunday, August 25, 2013, 1:30pm - 4:30pm at Fountain Hills Presbyterian Church Official Site

Everyone is encouraged to visit her Facebook page. Her family loves reading all the wonderful comments

Susan's Facebook page is located at:

https://www.facebook.com/susanstrom

 

[Mike Krzywonski]

Years ago, Susan was kind enough to reply to my email inquiry about places to photograph lightning in AZ when I was planning a trip during the monsoon season. W/o even knowing me, she provided me w/ lengthy details & tips about areas throughout the state. She came across as a free spirited, caring individual. I've always had a certain appreciation for her, particularly because lightning photography was the initial driving force behind my passion for storm chasing.

 

[Brandon Jenkins]

Did a lot of reading in Susan's old Monsoon threads when I first joined ST, always willing to offer advice and just an all around wonderful person that I never got the chance to meet. Best wishes to her family and friends, its been a very sad year for our community.

 

[Shaba117]

I met Susan in 2003 at that year's ChaserCon...had a heck of a time on Saturday night w/her, Dave Drummond, Amos M., Tom Tackett, and others. That was a memorable experience and (IIRC) Susan also guest-chatted in the old Stormtrack mIRC chatroom.

Yet another heavy loss this season....good grief!

 

[Warren Faidley]

Sad to hear this news.

Susan and I talked about lightning photography on numerous occasions.

For the last two days, we had some wonderful lightning storms at sunset. A fitting tribute.

Warren

 

[Charles Bustamante]

Sad indeed! My first Arizona monsoon websites or sources was Warren and Susan the "Lightning Lady".
Boy,you never know.

 

[joel ewing]

I can't believe it. A fellow Arizonan, we lived far apart from each other, but emailed back and forth about monsoon experiences ocassionally. People, get your house in order, because I can tell you from experience...people get whisked out of your life so fast it'll make your head spin. I cannot believe how much death has surrounded my wife and I these past few years. Even though no one's "on" all the time....you'd be wise to try to get out there and do your best each time you're up to bat. And for us chasers, make a promise to yourself to get out in the field as often as humanly possible. Godspeed, Susan.

 

[John Olexa]

Just saw this! RIP Susan. Her work was always inspirational to me!

 

[Ken Langford]

Hey All,

Wow, I really AM out of the loop! I have just encountered this news today, and am somewhat stunned. Susan was a wonderful person! We met at a Denver conference years ago and of course shared a passion for lightning. Years later I met her in Arizona for lunch while on a business trip there. We had a great afternoon talking lightning. Her images speak for themselves - she was superlative in the field. Very sad to hear about this, and my condolences go out to her family and friends.

Ken