Suzanne O'Rourke-Obletz, fashion retailer, former model

O'Rourke-Obletz

Suzanne O'Rourke-Obletz, 79, a fashion retailer and former model, died Friday, March 16, 2007, in her Snyder home following a long battle with Progressive Supranuclear Palsy.

Born Suzanne Swanson in Buffalo, she graduated from LaFayette High School and studied fashion technology at D'Youville College.

In 1945, she married her first husband, Neal T. O'Rourke and had eight children. She maintained a strong interest in fashion, appearing as a model in dozens of newspaper fashion advertisements before becoming the spokes model for S&H Green Stamps in 1958. A highlight of her modeling career was being featured with her children in a full page Green Stamps ad in Life Magazine in 1960.

After Neal's death in 1970, O'Rourke-Obletz began to pursue a career in fashion retailing, hosting Doncaster trunk shows and working for her close friend Marie Andre in her Eggertsville store and eventually operating her own store, Suzn O' in Snyder Square. Her family said she took great pleasure in working there with her two sisters, Florence Klinck and Sally Lawless, as well as many lifelong friends and her daughter-in-law Meg, who took over the operation of her business in 2002.

In 1979, she married real estate developer Bernard Obletz. They traveled extensively throughout the world, often including one or more of their children on the trips. Though a well-known leader himself Bernie often introduced himself as "Mr. Suzn O'".

Mrs. O'Rourke-Obletz had been active with Junior League of Buffalo and was recently honored as a 50-year sustaining member. She was on the board of WNY Independent Living Center and involved with numerous charitable fundraising events.

Besides her second husband, Mrs. O'Rourke-Obletz is survived by five sons, Tad, Ned, David, Jon and J. Dooley; a daughter, Mary Hartnett; a sister, Sally Lawless; four step-children; 13 grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered at 10 a.m., Wednesday, March 21 in St. Joseph University Church, 3269 Main St., Buffalo. Memorial contributions may be made to the Society for Progressive Supranuclear Palsy EP III, 11350 McCormick Road, Suite 906, Hunt Valley, Md. 21031.

Arrangements were made by the Dengler & Roberts Funeral Home.