Sister Susan Frazer, RSM, a devoted Sister of Mercy, educator, certified social worker, advocate, and beloved mentor to generations of Jamaican youth, passed into eternal life after a lifetime of faithful service to God and others.
Scroll down to stream Sister Susans’s funeral mass held Tuesday, July 28. 2026.
Born on October 21, 1948, in Hancock, Michigan, Susan was the cherished daughter of Raymond Frazer and Vivian Ploof. During her youth, while attending McAuley High School in Cincinnati, Ohio, she was first introduced to the Sisters of Mercy. Witnessing the meaningful lives of service lived by the sisters profoundly influenced her and inspired her to enter the Sisters of Mercy upon her graduation in 1966.
As a member of the religious community, Sister Susan continued her education, earning a degree in Social Sciences from Edgecliff College. During her formation, a spiritual mentor encouraged her to place herself in a situation entirely unfamiliar to discern God’s unique call for her life. Following that guidance, she traveled to Jamaica in 1971, a decision that would shape the course of her life’s work.
The funeral mass was held Tuesday, July 28, 2026, at Sacred Heart Convent Chapel 103 Mercy Drive Belmont, NC. Watch the service below.
When Sister Susan professed her vows, she chose for the inscription on her ring the words from Scripture: “Lord, I Believe; Help My Unbelief.” This motto became the guiding prayer of her life, reflecting both her profound faith and her humble reliance on God’s grace.
In Kingston, she first served at the Alpha Girls’ School and later at the Alpha Boys’ School. Returning to the United States, she made her final vows as a Sister of Mercy and served as a social worker in a Cincinnati hospital ministry. Yet her heart remained firmly connected to Jamaica, a country that had become her second home.
In 1977, Sister Susan returned to Jamaica and began her ministry at St. John Bosco Boys’ Home, where she became a beloved mother figure to hundreds of boys in state care. With compassion, determination, and an entrepreneurial spirit, she worked tirelessly to improve the lives and futures of the young people entrusted to her care. Alongside Sister Noreen, she helped develop innovative trade programs and several on-campus businesses that enhanced the school’s financial sustainability and continue to serve students today.
Throughout her remarkable career, Sister Susan’s leadership and commitment to the development of young Jamaicans led to her appointment as Executive Director of St. John Bosco Boys’ Home, Alpha Girls’ School, and Alpha Boys’ School. She later served as Administrator for the Sisters of Mercy in Jamaica, providing dedicated and visionary leadership to the Mercy community throughout the island.
A certified social worker, Sister Susan firmly believed that education was the key to transforming lives and strengthening communities. She was a passionate advocate for the young men and women of Jamaica and consistently strove to provide opportunities for them to grow intellectually, spiritually, and professionally. She championed programs that combined practical vocational training with formal academic education, while also encouraging excellence in music, the arts, and cultural development. She believed that every young person possessed unique gifts and worked tirelessly to ensure those gifts could flourish.
In later years, after decades of nurturing and educating children and youth, Sister Susan led the transition of the residential programs at Alpha Boys’ School and St. John Bosco Boys’ Home into skills-training day programs, equipping young people with tools for self-sufficiency and success. Her vision has left a lasting legacy in Jamaica’s educational and social services landscape.
Throughout her life, Sister Susan was known for her extraordinary work ethic, infectious sense of humor, warmth, generosity, and unwavering faith. She touched countless lives, nurturing, educating, encouraging, and advocating for those most in need. Her influence can be seen in the thousands of children, families, colleagues, and communities she served with love and compassion.
Guided always by her motto, “Lord, I Believe; Help My Unbelief,” Sister Susan approached every challenge with courage, humility, and trust in God’s providence. Her life was a testament to the Mercy values of service, justice, compassion, and faith. Though she will be deeply missed, her enduring impact on Jamaica, the Sisters of Mercy, and all who knew and loved her will never be forgotten.
May she rest in the peace of Christ whom she served so faithfully, and may her memory continue to inspire future generations.
