Susan Aton Hall

Susan Aton Hall, of Spring Lake, Michigan, and formerly of Petoskey, Michigan, and Louisville, Kentucky, died peacefully on Thursday, October 15, 2026 surrounded by her loving family. She was 70 years old.

Born in Louisville, Kentucky, in 1956, Susan was the cherished only daughter of Joan Carter and Frank Aton. She was loved deeply and famously spoiled by her parents and her grandparents, Irene and Joseph Farmer Carter. She shared fond memories of her time living in the Netherlands as a child and traveling across Europe. When Frank remarried in Susan’s teenage years, she developed a deep and special bond with her stepmother, Fran Aton, and stepbrothers Jeff and Marc.

From a young age, Susan possessed a wonderfully bold and rebellious spirit. When it came time for confirmation, she chose "Joan of Arc" as her namesake, admiring the saint's courage and willingness to stand up for her convictions, traits Susan confidently embodied throughout her entire life. Above all else, she was a fierce and unwavering supporter of equality and human rights.

A defining part of her youth was spent at the YMCA’s Camp Piomingo in Brandenburg, Kentucky. It was there that she made lifelong friends, eventually becoming a camp counselor and planting the seeds for a life dedicated to recreation and community.

After graduating from Waggener High School in 1974, Susan channeled her passions into higher education, earning a degree in recreation from Marshall University. This foundation sparked a lifetime of service. Susan spent much of her career in social work, acting as a tireless advocate for domestic violence victims at the Women’s Resource Center of Northern Michigan in Petoskey. She also supported vulnerable children and families through her work with northern Michigan's Char-Em Intermediate School District and Louisville’s Home of the Innocents. Before retiring, she helped open and manage Brilliant Sky Toys and Books. It became her absolute favorite job, allowing her to joyfully return to her roots in recreation and embrace the power of play.

Though her professional impact was vast, Susan’s favorite part of life was her family. She met the love of her life, William “Bill” Hall, on Match.com in September 2000, long before online dating was mainstream. They were married at the stroke of midnight on January 1, 2001, and have remained best friends for the last 26 wonderful years. Bill constantly brought a smile to Susan’s face, and together they shared a beautiful life defined by a selfless dedication to one another. There was not a day that they didn’t smile and laugh together. A special joy of their life was the time they spent with their Schnoodle dog, Bodhi. Always drawn to the peace of the water, Susan and Bill spent countless evenings on the lakeshore watching the sunsets, reminding each other of the happy ending at the close of every day.

Susan was a dedicated mother and the fiercest protector of her children, always hoping and striving for the absolute best for them. Her son, Josh, and daughters, Laura and Katie, were her world. She was happiest when the family was all together, most recently celebrating her "Sunny 70th" birthday this past summer. Even when apart, she was always thinking of them, the first to send a “Mom Alert” to notify them of problematic weather in their individual locations or beat them to breaking local news in their cities. She taught her children countless lessons, but above all, she taught them to show up and care for one another first, and then to fiercely advocate for justice in the world and community around them.

Her profound love extended naturally to her grandchildren: Carter (17), Nolan (14), Crosby (12), and Guy (11), to which she had a special bond with each. She was their biggest champion, never missing a birthday, always sending a greeting card for every occasion, showing up and cheering at sporting events, and connecting via Facetime whenever she got the chance. In fact, in recent years, Susan and Bill moved from their long-time home of northern Michigan to Spring Lake, Michigan, to be closer to them.

In her free time, Susan found joy in reading, listening to music, water walking, and inserting sarcasm into any situation, a gift she proudly passed to her kids. When together, they would often sit around the table and cackle over family stories and memories, often poking fun with deep love. Susan was also a lover of all animals, especially her grandpets Piper, Olive, Lucy, Jack, Alan, and Ichiro. Driven by a desire to see a fairer, kinder world, she was deeply passionate about politics; she firmly stood up for what she believed in and consistently encouraged others to do the same.

Susan was preceded in death by her parents, Joan Carter, Frank Aton, her step-mother Fran Aton; grandparents, Irene and Joseph Farmer Carter; and her best-dog, Bodhi.

Her love and legacy live on through her husband and best friend, Bill Hall; children who were the pride of her life, Josh (Megan) Hayes of West Olive, Michigan, Laura (Eric) Proctor of Louisville, Kentucky, and Katie (Nick) Wahl of Louisville, Kentucky; and her beloved grandchildren Carter, Nolan, Crosby, and Guy. She also welcomed and loved her blended family with Bill, and leaves behind her stepchildren, Mike (Charlene) Hall, Michelle (Dan) Daugherty, Brad Hall, Melissa (Mitch) Hall; and their children Riley, Anna, Gillian, Benjamin, Gavin, Gray, and Mitcheal. Susan’s memory will also be cherished by her brothers, Marc (Shari) Lane of Plant City, Florida, and Jeff (Pam) Lane of Melbourne, Florida, along with many extended family members and dear friends whose lives she touched.

Susan will be missed deeply. In accordance with her wishes, her ashes will be scattered privately with her immediate family.

In lieu of flowers, Susan’s family invites you to carry forward her legacy of love, justice and care in two meaningful ways:

First, do what Susan spent a lifetime teaching her family to do: show up for others, advocate for your community, and cast a vote for kindness, equity and human rights by voting blue this November.

Second, help protect the love of her life and consider supporting her beloved husband Bill Hall, on his journey to find a life-saving kidney transplant. Bill was recently diagnosed with kidney disease and is in need of a donor. In Susan’s honor, please consider learning more about the living donor process and getting tested at dovetransplant.org