One of the illustrations of Surain's dedication to
her work was the fact that she always had a little alarm clock
on her desk. And every afternoon she would go into the kitchen
to prepare her french press for coffee, and then go back to her
desk and proceed to get so absorbed in a project that she needed
the alarm to remind her ---just a few minutes later --- that her
coffee was ready.
Another thing I noticed about Surain is that she
rarely took personal calls on the job. But when she DID
I would ALWAYS know it, because I would hear her breaking into
Swedish and there would be an occasional recognizable word or
phrase like "wine tasting" or "single malt scotch"
or "tapenade". (The words I recognized always had to
do with food or drink.)
Surain LOVED good food, and Robert nourished her
enthusiasm with it. Sometimes in the office there would be some
powerful reminders of this fact --because periodically wafting
out of her office into my space would be an odor that I could
only equate with dirty sneaker foot odor... until I noticed that
she had been to the Market. And there in her office would be
one of her canvas or string net reusable shopping bags FULL of
fresh herbs and STINKY cheese.
Surain was also dedicated to providing our
staff with an alternative to chocolate in the office. By bringing
in Robert's homemade bread and Hot & Spicy Peas she attempted
to reform our sugar addicted ways. And I'll miss seeing her determined
dedication to that pursuit.
One of the most laudable things about Surain was
her conservation ethic that was expressed in her everyday life.
I remember when I was a volunteer for the Conservancy, I was
reading an article from the NY Times that talked about Surain
af Sandeberg, Finance Manager for The Nature Conservancy of WA,
and her husband Robert, who together had an old houseboat remodeled.
It described how all the materials used -- from the bamboo wood
floors to the metal roof were required to be earth friendly;
and how the systems, like the lake water floor heating system,
had to be energy efficient, and the design community minded.
One of Surain's most under appreciated accomplishments
in the office is that she never contributed to the success
of the Post-It Note. Unlike most people who are addicted to those
little yellow stickies (and I'm still expecting to see a book
written called "Women who Love Post-Its Too Much"),
Surain always used little scraps of recycled paper to clip to
a document to make a note. I always appreciated that small but
meaningful resource conservation effort.
I am so grateful to have shared a place in time with
one who treaded so lightly on the earth, while at the same time
left such a big impression on people, and whose spirit will continue
to touch so many lives for years to come. I am so grateful to
be surrounded by so many reminders of Surain, from her very big,
bold, beautiful and swirly signature to her well tended plants.
I feel her spirit just as I had imagined I would when it lifted
up out of her bed and floated out the windows of the houseboat
to Lake Union and beyond, dissipating in all directions to support
all of us through life's journeys.
Friends and family of Surain, know that she cared
about each of you - breathe deeply and feel her presence.
Cyndi Merritt