Susan Drautman Berman

Susan Drautman Berman, age 92, passed away in Atlanta on December 9, 2025, where she had lived close to her daughter Ellen since 2024. Born and raised in Louisville, she spent most of her life there before moving to Georgia.

An only child of Nellie May (Straus) Drautman and Charles Drautman, Sue loved being around friends.

After graduation from college, Sue married attorney Jerry Berman in 1955. Together they raised three daughters, Lynn, Salli, and Ellen, each born 18 months apart. They shared a life filled with laughter, socializing, and resilience. Following the 1974 Louisville tornado that destroyed their home, Sue and Jerry rebuilt with determination and good humor. She valued her friendships and surprisingly became a fan of Bruce Springsteen—attending three concerts.

Sue taught elementary school, then Montessori preschool and later channeled her creativity into retail at Bittners home boutique. An animal lover, she especially cared about dogs. She reunited lost dogs with their owners or found new good homes. She was proud of her family’s Labrador retriever, Josh, who was valedictorian of his obedience school. Josh and other dogs were almost like family members.

After Jerry’s passing in 2001, Sue found meaningful companionship with Robert “Bob” Friedman. They enjoyed escaping Louisville winters on Longboat Key, Florida, until his death in 2024.

Sue is survived by daughters Lynn (Alan) Herring in San Diego, Salli (Joel) Coleman in Louisville and Ellen (Ron Lipsitz) Berman in Atlanta. Grandchildren Kate (Chris) Ostroff in San Diego, Emily (Michael) Wilson in Atlanta, Evan (Sarah Mattingly) Coleman in Louisville, Matthew Coleman in Boston, Eliza (Jack Jones) Coleman in Louisville, and Max (Julia) Moskowitz in Reno. Great grandchildren Lucy and Milo Ostroff and Zoe Wilson.

In lieu of flowers, contributions in memory of Susan Berman may be made to Guiding Eyes for the Blind www.guidingeyes.org or Canine Companions www.canine.org.