Suzanne F. (LaVere) Herbst Stone

Suzzane F. (LaVere) Herbst Stone

October 5, 1944-July 1, 2023

Suzanne passed from this life on Friday, July 1, 2023 at the age of 78 in Syracuse, New York. She was supported by her loving husband Philip Stone, several dear family friends, and dog Brandy through a long battle with a chronic illness.

Suzanne was born to Herbert and Janet LaVere on October 5, 1944.

Suzanne had a deep love for life as was evidenced by her activities and those she surrounded herself with. From her earliest years she was always active encouraging and serving others, traveling and experiencing life. Suzanne was deeply spiritual and was always willing to listen and comfort others. She enjoyed spending time relaxing on her deck; maintaining her flowers, visiting with friends, and playing with Brandy.

She graduated from William Nottingham High School in 1962. During her Nottingham years Suzanne was very active and visible. She served as president of the Bulldog Boosters, twirled her baton as head majorette, and was voted most athletic her senior year. Suzanne also served as vice president of her graduating class in the spring of her senior year.

Suzanne pursued her interest in nursing and earned her RN in 1965 from St. Joseph’s Hospital. She moved to San Francisco in 1967, where she met her husband, Gerhard Herbst. They continued to reside in California, and throughout the 1970s Suzanne worked for Riverside Research Institute and the ALSA Corporation. She assisted in the development of the Shaw Pump vs. gravity feed lines at Riverside and the long arm catheter, better known today as the Peripherally Inserted Central Catheter (PICC-LINE) at ALSA. While at ALSA, she was doing research in Houston at MD Anderson and was the first nurse to insert a PICC-LINE in a patient in the United States. Suzanne travelled around the world educating medical professionals on how to use the products developed by these companies.

In the early 1980s she was contracted to establish the first Hospice department in Sequoia Hospital in Redwood City, California. After a few years Suzanne transitioned into providing Home Care services to the terminally ill with the help of a few doctors and pharmacists. With the growing numbers of AIDS patients, Suzanne recognized the need to find a better way to serve their needs with vascular access devices (VAD’s). This is what started her down the path to found what is now AVA.

Near and dear to her heart was the Association for Vascular Access (AVA) which she founded in 1985 to standardize vascular access training, education, research and development for the benefit of consumers and healthcare professionals.

Suzanne returned to school to earn a dual BA/MA degree in 1987 from Santa Clara University. She earned her Ph.D. from ITP, San Jose State University in 1993. Her thesis name: Spirituality: The Neglected Dimension in Healthcare.

After 25 years in California, Suzanne returned to Syracuse to assist her aging parents while continuing to travel and educate in support of AVA, and her passion, vascular access.

Suzane is predeceased by her father Herbert W. LaVere, mother, Janet Sierzputowski, and brother Herbert LaVere Jr.

She is survived by her husband Philip Stone, step children, Karen Stone, Nathalie (Richard) Brumback, Theodore (Rebecca) Stone. 11 step-grandchildren and spouses, and 1 great grand-daughter. Numerous cousins and dear friends she considered family.

Calling hours will be held August 24,2023 from  4:00–7:00 pm at Burns Garfield Funeral Home 3175 E. Genesee St Syracuse NY 13224. A memorial service will be at the funeral home on Friday August 25, 2023 at 10:00 am with burial to follow at St. Mary Cemetery.

The Memorial Service will be live streamed via facebook please follow the following link to access the live feed https://fb.me/e/11xQPFaQ8

Suzanne’s family has requested donations be made to the AVA Foundation in memory of her by clicking here.