Susan Elizabeth Lewis Ross

Susan Elizabeth Lewis Ross, 63, passed away on September 25, 2026, at IU Health University Hospital in Indianapolis, Indiana. She was born on February 4, 1963, in Akron, Ohio, to Raymond Jasper Lewis and Barbara Ann (Lang) Lewis. Susan grew up in Richmond and Versailles, Kentucky, and later made her home in Crawfordsville and Indianapolis, Indiana.

Independent, honest, and creative, Susan was someone who was always willing to learn something new. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Purdue University, became a PADI Divemaster, and even learned to fly a small plane. Whether she was behind a camera, working on a painting, tending her garden, experimenting in the kitchen, or setting off on another adventure, Susan approached life with curiosity and a desire to experience as much of it as she could.

Art was an especially important part of Susan's life. She was an accomplished photographer and gifted painter, and her home was filled with pieces she created herself. She continually looked for new ways to develop her photography and artwork. Some of her favorite days were spent taking wildlife photographs with her photo crew, capturing the world around her through her own perspective.

Susan also loved to travel. Her adventures took her to Italy, Ireland, Scotland, London, and many other places, but a few remained especially close to her heart. She loved her grandmother's house in Stone Harbor, New Jersey; the vacation apartment overlooking the square in Bologna, Italy; Ennis, Ireland; and Indiana's state parks. Among the many experiences she collected along the way, visiting the falconry in Ireland became a particularly memorable one.

For all the places she traveled and things she accomplished, Susan also appreciated life's quieter pleasures. She loved making dinner with her husband, Michael, sitting on the patio with a glass of wine, watching a thunderstorm roll in, or simply planning where they might go next. She enjoyed Vietnamese pho from #1 Egg Roll and the homemade stir fry she and Michael made together, although Kayla's dumplings held the top spot among her favorites. She had a knack for picking winners at Keeneland Racecourse and looked forward to the yearly Keeneland trip with Mark and Katie. At home, she enjoyed watching the Cubs and Colts and spending time with her cats, Madison and Stella.

Susan had a gift for bringing people together and building strong relationships. She was someone others could depend on for help, encouragement, or a steady presence when things became difficult. Within her family, Susan was often the one trying to keep everyone calm and connected. She even learned how to do her mother-in-law's pin curls because, as Susan discovered, hardly anyone seemed to do them anymore. Her brother Tom also had the distinction of being known to Susan as "Shorty," one of those family nicknames that simply stuck.

Some of Susan's happiest memories were tied to the people and places she loved, from buying the house on Sunset Ridge Parkway to traveling, creating art, gathering around a table, and sharing everyday life with the people closest to her. Family traditions mattered deeply to Susan, particularly the Christmas Dinner she put so much time and effort into each year. Her family plans to continue that tradition in her memory.

Susan is survived by her husband, Michael Bernard Novak; her stepson, Ian Patrick Novak; her brother, Thomas Lewis; her brothers-in-law, Paul Novak and Mark Novak; her sisters-in-law, Katie Novak and Kayla Wang; her nieces, Anna Novak, Alexandria Novak, and Amber Ma; as well as extended family members and many friends.

She was preceded in passing by her father, Raymond Jasper Lewis, her mother, Barbara Ann (Lang) Lewis; her stepfather, Orville Ray Bevel; and her brothers, Raymond Lewis and Gregory Lewis.

Susan will be remembered for her creativity, independence, honesty, and the many ways she brought people together. She was the person her family could count on to help steady the ship, make the plans, and keep everyone connected. Her photographs and paintings will remain tangible pieces of the way she saw the world, while the Christmas dinners, trips, stories, recipes, and traditions she helped create will continue through the people who loved her.

To share a memory of Susan or leave a special message for her family, visit the guestbook below.