Women of Note: Suzi Greenway enriches the lives of Stockbridge residents
by Joan Tucker
In our community, Suzi Greenway is someone who gets involved.
Want to enjoy a night of community theater? Suzi will be onstage or producing a play. Looking for a nearby source of fresh and healthy food? Suzi has organized weekly Open Air Markets in summer and the monthly Winter Market. In the mood for a special event? Suzi originated the popular All Clubs Day motorcycle show held annually in Stockbridge.
Yet, Suzi does much more to make Stockbridge an interesting and inviting place for its residents.
In 2005, she joined the Town Hall Players, acting in the first few productions, such as
“Up the Down Staircase,” “Twelve Angry Jurors” and “Arsenic and Old Lace.” Her continued interest in theater led her to produce “The Breakfast Club” and put on two dinner theater productions, where she also made the food.
Riding motorcycles has always been one of Suzi’s hobbies. For the past 22 years, she has been the president of the International Norton Owners Association. Norton motorcycles are classic motorcycles made in England. Suzi has owned her Norton since 1983 and has ridden more than 85,000 miles to places such as Rapid City, South Dakota, and Hiawassee, Georgia. She loved the experience of riding and connecting with friends.
Being known for what she called her “famous parties” in the motorcycle world, village President Russ Mackinder asked her to start an All Clubs Day motorcycle show in 2006, which has become an ongoing and favorite local event. Currently, Suzi does a “meet and greet” with coffee and doughnuts for the All Clubs Ride twice each year in May and September.
One of her more recent delights was teaching a cooking class for Outreach called “Learn by Doing.” The concept was to encourage area families to cook with fresh foods, similar to “Hello Fresh” by using meal boxes. One student said, “I will never go back to canned foods.” Another said, “Fresh herbs taste so good.”
Then there is the Open Air Market weekly on Fridays and the Winter Market (held in the Stockbridge Presbyterian Church) on the second Saturday of the month. Suzi headed these ventures in association with the Five Healthy Towns program. With her farming experience of growing vegetables and raising livestock, she wanted to give local farmers a venue to sell their food. Bringing local and healthy foods to our community has been Suzi’s ongoing passion.
Not surprisingly, Suzi studied culinary arts at Lansing Community College.
She also studied black and white photography. In 1988, she took a photo of the Daytona 200 motorcycle race, capturing the attention of Team Suzuki/Yoshimura. The following year, she was invited back to be the team’s track photographer. Suzi says, “It was five fast-paced days with crashes, meeting famous racers, and getting into the winning circle with our second-place team member.” What a thrill that must have been!
When asked about her work experience, she recalled a job working in the United Kingdom with the Royal Mail Post Office delivering mail on a bicycle in a rural community near Gatwick Airport. It was the first equal opportunity job in the UK — equal pay for women and men. Back in Michigan, Suzi cleaned houses for 22 years in Howell and maintains a close friendship with a local judge, one of her clients.
Suzi continues to find joy in riding her motorcycles, enjoying friends, cooking fresh food, living life, appreciating her antique furniture, and helping her community.
