Suzanne Evelyn Scoggins McCarty, 72, of Indianapolis died peacefully on Aug. 31, 2026, after a years-long battle with vascular dementia. She spent her final day with her two children at her side, ‘70s music filling the room as family and friends visited and called to share decades of treasured memories and thank Suzanne for her enduring love and friendship. Suzanne is survived by her children, Lauren Suzanne McCarty Palmer and her husband, Jeff, Sean David McCarty and his wife, Amy, and her four beloved grandchildren–Lyra Jane Palmer, Fiona Virginia Palmer, Oliver Jack McCarty, and Asher Reed McCarty.

The term “one of a kind” just barely captures the vivacious, witty, generous, stubborn, loving, maddening, passionate, big-hearted, and absolutely singular force that was Suzanne. It was impossible to know her and not be completely floored by her charm, humor, sharp intelligence, and deep love of others. She truly never met a stranger and made a lasting impression on every single person she encountered–often dazzling, sometimes puzzling, but never forgettable. One time, at least 20 years ago, Suzanne was chatting with a cashier at Marsh who complimented the lipstick shade she was purchasing. Suzanne went back to the cosmetics section, checked out through another line, and slipped the cashier a tube of her own. This was a completely average interaction in the life of Suzanne McCarty.

Suzanne was born on Jan. 9, 1954, in Chattanooga, Tenn., as the eldest daughter of Joyce Malone Scoggins and Jack Murray Scoggins and lived in North Carolina until moving to Indianapolis in grade school. She graduated from New Palestine High School in 1972 and went on to receive her bachelor’s degree in journalism, studying at Indiana University Bloomington and IU Indianapolis (formerly IUPUI). Suzanne worked at The Indianapolis News as a reporter and obituary writer for more than a decade before staying home to raise her children. Even after leaving the field, Suzanne never lost her meticulous writing and editing skills, maintaining strict journalistic standards through obsessively detailed documentation of everyday events. Even her Facebook posts were written in exhaustive AP Style, each caption bursting with thorough biographical details about the individuals mentioned, and she was known to correct the copy of every advertisement, sign, and billboard crossing her path.

She loved to travel, most especially to Europe, and had a natural ear for languages including French and Spanish. She often regaled her family with stories from her travels, which included a visit to Spain with her parents in the 1970s and a trip to California where she flirted with a young bartender named Bruce Willis. In 1997 Suzanne and her mother went on a two-week trip to Europe with Lauren and her eighth grade class, visiting France, Germany, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein. She traveled twice to Ireland, her ancestral homeland, and visited England and France in 2009–a trip that included a tour of Mont Saint-Michel, which became one of Suzanne’s most cherished places. The McCartys frequently vacationed on Hilton Head Island, S.C., and in 2021, Suzanne joined her children and their families for a vacation to Playa Del Carmen, Mexico–a wonderful week the family was grateful to have spent together when her health began to decline soon thereafter.

A lifelong member of Disciples of Christ, Suzanne’s faith was an important part of her life. She often quoted from the Sanskrit poem The Salutation of Life, inscribing cards and letters with, “Look to this day! For it is life, the very life of life.” She sought out church communities that upheld her progressive values and welcomed all people with open arms. She completed the Stephens Ministry training program to support her fellow congregants at Southport Christian Church, now called Tapestry, and provided love and comfort to those in need for many years.

Suzanne’s greatest love was for her family. She was immensely proud of her children and often said that watching their families grow was the deepest joy of her life. She loved her son-in-law, Jeff, and daughter-in-law, Amy, fiercely–inspired by the unwavering support she felt from her mother-in-law, Virginia Sanders McCarty, who had welcomed Suzanne with unconditional love from the time of her marriage in 1979 until Ginny’s death in 2012.

A doting grandmother, Suzanne gave herself the grandmother name of "Choochie,” a nod to “Choo-Chan,” the nickname she earned by being unable to pronounce her own name as a toddler. She adored her four grandchildren–Lyra, Fiona, Oliver, and Asher; she was overjoyed when she found out Oliver's middle name would be Jack in honor of her beloved father.

Suzanne will live on in Lyra's eccentric flair, in Fiona's expressive showmanship, in Oliver's mischievous charisma, in Asher's radiating warmth. She is at peace now, her suffering finally over, her demons finally at rest. Suzanne was loved by so many people, even when loving her broke your heart a little. She will be missed but never forgotten.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to Tapestry Church at https://onrealm.org/TapestryChurch46116/-/form/give/now.