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Susan M. Stevens, 68, died on May 12, 2003 at her home in Rio Rancho, NM, after a long battle with cancer. She was born in Salem, Mass. She received her B.A. in Sociology/Psychology from the U. of Connecticut and M.A. in Sociology/Anthropology from the U. of Massachusetts at Amherst. She attended the U. of California (Berkeley) and completed most work towards a PhD in cultural anthropology with emphasis on Northern American Indians. In 1969, Susan moved to the Passamaquoddy Reservation as a doctoral student and her research work on the history of New England Indian tribes provided the avenue for the Passamaquoddy and Penobscot Indian Tribes to gain federal recognition. In the 1960's, Susan found Zara Cisco Brough, who for years was the sole Nipmuc member living on the Hassanamisco Nipmuc Reservation in Grafton, MA and leader of that tribe. Hassanamisco has never been out of Indian ownership. Susan gave some recognition to a community that had long been denied, and she and Zara remained friends for the rest of Zara's life. Susan was one of the first persons to highlight the connection of alcoholism to hypoglycemia, diabetes, and diet. In 1973 she secured a grant from the Indian Health Service for drug and alcohol rehabilitative services for Maine Indians. That grant broke through the IHS funding barrier for non-federally recognized tribes and paved the way for other funding. She is survived by her daughter, Adrien Lee Stevens-Roberts (Brian); and two grandsons, Bronson and Lance; and her beloved partner, Darkmoon Cliffdweller. She was preceded in death by her parents, William MacCulloch and Lena"Lee" Young; and sister, Nancy"Bunny" MacCulloch. Graveside Services will be held at the family plot, Green Grove Cemetery, in Ashland, New Hampshire, on May 25, 2003 at 2:00 p.m. Susan requested that in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions be sent in care of Adrien Stevens-Roberts, 4711 El Bardo Ct., Rio Rancho, NM 87124, to purchase a headstone for the grave of her great-grandmother, Marie-Adelphine Salway (died in 1911 and grave recently discovered).
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