Susan Jane Zuniga

Susan-Jane Zuniga (Wilding), 83, of Princeton, New Jersey, passed away on September 11, 2026. Born in London, England, on December 17, 1942, she was the daughter of Gertrude Baldwin and Marriott Edgar Wilding and sister of Catherine Anne Irving of London, England. Susan lived her life with a spirit of adventure, deep devotion to her family, boundless creativity, and a genuine enthusiasm for the people and experiences she loved.

Her sense of adventure emerged early. In 1963, at just 21 years old, Susan and a friend set off to see America by Greyhound bus, traveling throughout the United States and visiting every state. It was an extraordinary adventure for a young woman who had grown up across the Atlantic. And the beginning of a life she would ultimately build in America.

Susan eventually settled in New York City, where she worked for several years at the UK Mission to the United Nations. It was in New York that she met the love of her life, Frank Zuniga, a handsome young Peruvian who was also building a life in America. They married in 1966 and went on to raise their two daughters, Michelle and Debbie, in New Jersey.

As their life and family grew, Susan continued to pursue her own professional interests. She worked for a local newspaper and later spent many years working in advertising for Mokrynski & Associates in New Jersey.

Susan was a gifted and passionate quilter. While living in New Jersey, she was an active member of the Brownstone Quilters Guild. After she and Frank moved to Warwick, New York, for their retirement years, she became a member of the Warwick Valley Quilt Club. An accomplished quilter, Susan was especially known for her large, abstract quilting designs, which earned her numerous ribbons. Quilting was far more than a pastime; it was an artistic expression of her creativity and imagination and brought her lasting friendships and a wonderful sense of community.

Susan was the loving mother of Michelle (Bill) of Ridgewood, New Jersey, and Debbie (Dave) of Pennington, New Jersey, and the immensely proud grandmother of Jack Bors, Katie Bors, and Abigail Renner.

Few things brought Susan greater happiness than her grandchildren. She delighted in being part of their lives and was an enthusiastic supporter of all their activities, taking particular pride in cheering them on in their sports and dancing. Their accomplishments, large and small, brought her enormous joy.

Susan and Frank shared more than five decades of marriage before his passing in 2023. In her later years, Susan made her home at Brandywine Serenade in Princeton, where she was lovingly cared for and enjoyed the companionship of the many new friends she made there. Her family is deeply grateful for the kindness, friendship, and care that surrounded her during this chapter of her life.

From a brave young woman from London crossing America by bus, to finding the love of her life in New York, raising a family in New Jersey, building a successful career, creating beautiful quilts of art, enjoying retirement in Warwick, and making new friendships in Princeton, Susan embraced life with kindness, curiosity, creativity, independence, a wonderful spirit of adventure, and an unmistakably witty British sense of humor.

Above all, Susan will be remembered for the love she gave so generously to the people around her. She was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, sister, and friend whose greatest pride and joy was her family. The love, encouragement, traditions, and memories she gave them will remain an enduring part of her legacy.

A private family celebration of life will take place at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family kindly asks that donations be made in memory of Susan Zuniga to the Alzheimer's Association , in support of research, care and support for those affected by Alzheimer's disease.