# Susan Menard

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{{Short description|American politician (died 2022)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2025}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|name        = Susan Menard
|image       =
|order1       = 31st [Mayor of Woonsocket](/source/Woonsocket%2C_Rhode_Island)
|term_start1  = 1995
|term_end1    = 2009
|predecessor1 = Francis L. Lanctot
|successor1   = Leo T. Fontaine
|birth_date  = {{circa}} 1948
|birth_place = [Woonsocket, Rhode Island](/source/Woonsocket%2C_Rhode_Island), U.S.
|death_date  = {{circa}} September 2022 (aged 74)
|death_place = [Woonsocket, Rhode Island](/source/Woonsocket%2C_Rhode_Island), U.S.
|partner      = Daniel Grabowski
|children    = 2
|party       = [Democratic](/source/Democratic_Party_(United_States))
|website     = {{url|woonsocketri.org/about-us/pages/history-mayors|Government website}}
}}

'''Susan Menard''' (died {{circa}} September 2022) was an American politician who served as the 31st mayor of [Woonsocket, Rhode Island](/source/Woonsocket%2C_Rhode_Island), from 1995 to 2009.<ref>{{Cite web |title=History of Mayors {{!}} City of Woonsocket RI |url=https://www.woonsocketri.org/about-us/pages/history-mayors |access-date=2022-09-24 |website=www.woonsocketri.org}}</ref> She was the first female mayor and longest serving mayor in Woonsocket history.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Second decomposed body found in former Rhode Island mayor's house identified |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/second-decomposed-body-found-former-rhode-island-mayors-house-identifi-rcna49228 |access-date=2022-09-24 |website=NBC News |date=23 September 2022 |language=en}}</ref>

==Career==
Menard first was elected to the Woonsocket School Committee in 1981. She was later elected to the Woonsocket City Council and became its first female president.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-09-22 |title=Police identify seven-term mayor Susan Menard as one of two bodies found in home |url=https://www.thefocus.news/celebrity/who-was-susan-menard-age-political-career-and-family-explored/ |access-date=2022-09-24 |website=The Focus |language=en-GB}}</ref> She was urged into politics by Douglas Brown, a former member of the School Committee.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Remembering Susan Menard, Woonsocket's trailblazing, take-charge mayor - The Boston Globe |url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/2022/09/23/metro/remembering-susan-menard-woonsockets-trailblazing-take-charge-mayor/ |access-date=2022-09-24 |website=BostonGlobe.com |language=en-US}}</ref> Menard was elected as mayor of [Woonsocket](/source/Woonsocket%2C_Rhode_Island) in 1995, beating opponent Vincent Ward. She served until 2009, making her the longest serving mayor in the city's history. She is one of only four female mayors ever elected in [Rhode Island](/source/Rhode_Island).

==Personal life and death==
On April 14, 2009, the same year she left office, Menard's daughter Carrie Pilavin died aged 31.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/bostonglobe/name/carrie-pilavin-obituary?id=24278191 | title=Carrie M. Pilavin Obituary (2009) Boston Globe | website=[Legacy.com](/source/Legacy.com) }}</ref> On September 17, 2022, Menard's older brother Robert Miller died, aged 81. She was listed as alive in his obituary.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.providencejournal.com/obituaries/ppvp0305725 | title=The Providence Journal Obituaries in Providence, RI &#124; the Providence Journal }}</ref>

Menard had a long-term relationship with Daniel Grabowski. On September 20, 2022, both of their bodies were found in Menard's home. Menard is survived by her sister Marilyn and grandchildren Jacob, Nathan, Madison and Colin.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/second-decomposed-body-found-former-rhode-island-mayors-house-identifi-rcna49228 | title=Second decomposed body found in former Rhode Island mayor's house identified | website=[NBC News](/source/NBC_News) | date=23 September 2022 }}</ref> Autopsy reports revealed that Menard had died of [chronic obstructive pulmonary disease](/source/chronic_obstructive_pulmonary_disease) and Grabowski of type-2 diabetes.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2022/09/23/former-rhode-island-mayor-susan-menards-remains-identified/8091423001 | title=Remains discovered in Rhode Island home confirmed to be former Woonsocket mayor | website=[USA Today](/source/USA_Today) }}</ref>

== References ==
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Menard, Susan}}
Category:Year of birth missing
Category:1940s births
Category:20th-century mayors of places in Rhode Island
Category:2022 deaths
Category:Women mayors of places in the United States
Category:People from Woonsocket, Rhode Island
Category:School board members in Rhode Island
Category:Deaths from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Category:Mayors of places in Rhode Island

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Susan Menard](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susan_Menard) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susan_Menard?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.