Susan Vachout Kane, 82, of Westborough and formerly Hopkinton, passed away on Wednesday, February 19, 2025 at Lutheran Rehabilitation and Skilled Care Center in Worcester. Born in Teaneck, New Jersey on February 12, 1943, she was the daughter of the late Jane (Fitzpatrick) and William J. Vachout and grew up in Illinois and Pennsylvania. She was involved in Girl Scouts for many years and played the xylophone in the marching band. 

Susan earned her degree from Thiel College in Greenville, Pennsylvania in 1965. She began working as a physical therapist at Queen Mary’s Hospital in London, England and spent time backpacking and skiing around Europe. Returning to work in Boston, she met Charles S. “Charlie” Kane while he was running the rental department at Eastern Mountain Sports. Susan came in to rent some outdoor equipment and the rest was history! They were married July 11, 1970 and moved to Hopkinton. Together they raised a family and spent many hours hiking and camping, often in the summers with her sister Nancy and family. Charlie passed away in 2006. 

Susan was the Director of Physical Therapy at Deaconess Waltham Hospital and then worked as a physical therapist with Early Intervention in Waltham. Even after retirement, Susan continued to pursue greater knowledge in her field. She read everything she could, taught and attended many workshops, and practiced a wide variety of healing arts, including sound therapy, Reiki, and energy medicine. She was also a certified Zentangle teacher. Susan devoted much of her time to caring and advocating for her daughter Lisa, who lived with Niemann-Pick disease for many years. 

Nature was always a sacred place for Susan. Whenever she needed to reconnect with God or listen to her body and heart, she would head out for walks along the water or in the woods. Cape Cod and Camp Calumet in Lake Ossipee, New Hampshire, were two of her most beloved spots in the world. She filled her home with light using geodes, semi-precious stones, crystals, and art glass. 

In her later years, Susan was a valued community member at The Willows at Westborough, where she served on the library committee and was a member of the multifaith Scripture study group, led by her good friend Paula. Even as her own health issues grew more serious, she never stopped learning and sharing wisdom with others. 

Susan is survived by her son, Jeff L. Kane, and his wife, Katie Yahns of Sherrill, New York, as well as her nephews Michael Haley and Clayton Haley. She is predeceased by her husband, Charlie, her sister, Nancy Golly, and her daughter, Lisa S. Kane. 

A service of resurrection will be held on Saturday, February 22, 2025 at 12:00 noon at Christ Lutheran Church in Natick. Interment will be made in the spring in the Memorial Garden at Camp Calumet. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Camp Calumet (www.calumet.org) or the National Niemann-Pick Disease Foundation (www.nnpdf.org). Arrangements are under the care of the Chesmore Funeral Home of Hopkinton.