Susan Brady Alfaro ’53†: ‘Actions Not Words’ was her lifelong mantra

When Susan Brady Alfaro ’53 (1935-2020) joined the Bellefontaine Society in 2007, she was unequivocal about why she wanted to include Mayfield in her estate plans: “ ‘Actions Not Words’ remains my mantra,” she said. After her parents divorced, Susan attended several high schools before arriving at Mayfield—with a very uneven transcript and an “ambitious college list.” She “made a pact” with the nuns: “There was much hard work, extra assignments and drilling to improve my SAT scores,” Susan said, but she got into her dream school—Stanford University. “I still thank Mayfield for their support.”
 
Ambitious and artistic, Susan had an iconoclastic streak, and a talent for working with her hands. Her varied career path included time as a graphic artist and a florist, and she also volunteered at a sports center for disabled athletes in Lake Tahoe. She was also devoted to her husband, Kim Alfaro. She cared for him as he battled cancer, before passing away in March 2020. Soon after, Susan received a cancer diagnosis herself and, tragically, died just months later, in August 2020.
 
Susan’s Mayfield yearbook quote was “Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm,” and she certainly exhibited a remarkable zest for life. Susan dedicated her life’s legacy to support three causes dear to her heart: “cancer research, animal rescue and, especially, Mayfield Senior School.” 
Back
Established in 1931, Mayfield Senior School in Pasadena, CA is a Catholic, independent, college preparatory school for young women grades 9-12. Noted for its rigorous academic program, which includes 28 Advanced Placement and Honors courses, Mayfield’s curriculum is underscored by a philosophy of educating the “whole child,” which also encourages commitment to and excellence in the arts, athletics, community service and spiritual growth. The nurturing environment at Mayfield Senior School allows each student to flourish in an atmosphere of personal attention.