Posted on December 27, 2004 at 2:10 p.m.
Updated on December 29, 2004 at 1:00 p.m.

BIRMINGHAM, AL — There will be a memorial service at 4 p.m. today, December 29, for Susan Darrow Marchase, former director of administration and fiscal affairs for the UAB Department of Medicine. Marchase died December 26, 2004, from cancer. She was 54. The service will be held in in Spain Auditorium.

Marchase worked in the department of medicine since 1988. She was responsible for overseeing departmental human resources, grants management, and faculty development programs.

“Sue was instrumental in how smoothly our department operated,” said Dr. William Koopman, chair of the department. “That she stayed within the department for so many years made it that much easier as we faced new challenges. She enabled the physicians and researchers to go about their work because we knew the administrative matters were being handled in a timely and professional manner.”

Marchase also was active in women's issues at UAB, serving on the department of medicine's faculty women's committee. She continually worked to identify, retain, recruit and develop women for positions of leadership within the department and university. In 2002 she was named Outstanding Administrator/Staff by the UAB Women's Center and the UAB Women's Studies Program. One of the letters of support for Marchase stated, “Sue is a woman of strong convictions and has the courage to speak them as well as live them.”

In 2004, the award was named in her honor. Women winning the award will have demonstrated throughout their careers qualities of leadership, vision, courage, dedication and commitment to the university, and especially to the cause of the advancement of women at UAB and in the community. All these are characteristics that describe Marchase.

She received her bachelor of arts degree in economics from Duke University, graduating Phi Beta Kappa. Prior to joining UAB, Marchase worked at AT&T, the development office at Duke University, and AmSouth Bank.

Sue is survived by her husband Richard, their son Nicholas, their daughter Allison, her mother Anita Darrow, her sisters Karen and Barbara and many nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Susan D. Marchase Outstanding Woman Administrator Award in care of the UAB Gift Records Office, 701 20th Street South, Birmingham, Alabama 35294.