In memoriam: Susanne Scaringi and Teri Johnston

Susanne Scaringi
Outdoor Research’s Susanne Scaringi was critically injured in a bicycle collision with a van on Sept. 27 in Seattle. She was taken to Harborview Medical Center in order to care for her life-threatening injuries, but died later that evening.

Scaringi, 26, was the customer service point person for Outdoor Research’s Canadian and international accounts and had been with the company for two years. Alex Kutches told SNEWS®, “Susanne was a great member of the team — a spark of enthusiasm with a can-do attitude. We are going to miss her.” Prior to Outdoor Research, she had been with Marmot Mountain Works where she met her husband, Tony, when he came in shopping one day.

The Seattle Post-Intelligencer newspaper reported that Scarinigi was heading north on 35th Avenue Southwest on her way to work at about 7:40 a.m. when she crashed into a van, which was turning onto Southwest Graham Street. She was wearing a helmet, but suffered serious injuries. The newspaper added that police investigators are looking at the possibility that the van’s driver, a man in his 50s, “performed an improper left turn.”

Outdoor Research’s Todd Walton wrote on the company’s website: “Susanne’s family provided an incredibly strong foundation of support, encouragement and faith that was evidenced in Susanne’s life. When the OR family rallied to show support at the hospital for Susanne, it was amazing to be a part of the encouragement and the strength of her family. Please keep her family and Susanne’s husband in your thoughts as the days go on.”

Kutches told SNEWS® that Scarinigi is survived by her husband, parents and brother.

A celebration of Scaringi’s life will be held on Oct. 7 at Overlake Christian Church at 10 a.m. A memorial bike ride was already held on Sept. 29. Outdoor Research has set up a memorial page on its website at www.orgear.com/home/page/home/susanne.

Teri Johnston
Teri Johnston, wife of Burton’s vice president of marketing Bryan Johnston, passed away unexpectedly on Sept. 23. After meeting in college, Teri and Bryan were married in 1990, and have two daughters, Emma and Caroline. Teri’s family said she had many joys in her life, one of which was traveling the world with her husband and children, often to the mountains in search of hiking, skiing or snowboarding. Services were held Sept. 26.